NEWS
Abia Police Rally Youths Against Political, Digital Thuggery at International Youth Day Conference
The Abia State Police Command has intensified its engagement with young people across the state, urging them to reject political violence, cybercrime, drug abuse, cultism and other social vices capable of endangering their future.
The call was made on Thursday, August 20, 2026, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day, during a Youth Engagement Conference held at the Officers’ Mess.
The conference brought together key stakeholders in the youth sector, including representatives of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, the Office of the Special Adviser on Youth Matters and several youth organisations.
Among the groups represented were the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Niger Delta Students Union Government, National Association of Nigerian Students, National Youth Service Corps, New Face of Igbo Youths Association, Ohanaeze Youth Movement and the Police Officers’ Wives Association, among others.
The event featured a series of presentations by officers of the Command aimed at encouraging young people to become active partners in building a safer, responsible and more peaceful society.
DSP MaryJane Nneka Okere, the Command Paymaster and Officer-in-Charge of Cybercrime, spoke on the 2026 International Youth Day theme, Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: The Role of Young People in Building a Responsible Society.
The presentation focused on the political and digital responsibilities of young people and encouraged youths to work closely with the Police in promoting security, responsible citizenship and social development.
Also speaking, the Abia State Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices, ASP Ekenta Ngozi Blessing, urged young people to stay away from crime, criminality, cultism and other destructive social behaviours.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, DCP Christopher Bassey, further warned youths against allowing themselves to be recruited or manipulated for political violence and digital-related crimes, particularly as the election period approaches.
His presentation, My Future Is Greater Than Political and Digital Thuggery, drew attention to the dangers of sacrificing one’s future for the interests of politicians, criminal networks and other individuals who may exploit young people for unlawful activities.
In his address, the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Rilwan Disu, for the initiative and reaffirmed his confidence in the enormous potential of Nigerian youths.
The Police Commissioner cautioned young people against drug abuse, stressing that substance abuse remains a serious threat to their health, productivity, aspirations and future.
He also emphasised the need to deepen mutual trust and sustain collaboration between the Police and members of the public, particularly young people.
CP Afolabi reaffirmed his commitment to a community-oriented policing strategy built on close partnership between the Police and the people, with the objective of making Abia State safer and more secure for everyone.
He also announced the planned flag-off of the Abia State Police Command Community Safety Partnership in Aba over the weekend.
The event equally witnessed the official launch of the National Campaign Against Political and Digital Thuggery, with the campaign carried out in collaboration with the various youth groups represented at the conference.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the participating youth organisations, who expressed support for stronger cooperation between the Police and young people in tackling insecurity and other societal challenges.
The conference ended with a moderated Police–Youth Dialogue Session, where participants exchanged ideas and explored practical ways of strengthening mutual trust, improving communication and building a more productive relationship between the Police and the youth population in Abia State.
The engagement underscored the Command’s growing effort to place young people at the centre of conversations on security, responsible citizenship and the collective task of building a peaceful and secure society.