The National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Chief Mrs. Mutiat Olufunmilola Disu, has cautioned Nigerian youths against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political violence, warning that their future is too valuable to be sacrificed for another person’s political ambition.
Speaking at the International Youth Day 2026, National Youth Leadership & Security Initiative, Mrs. Disu urged young Nigerians to reject political thuggery, cultism, cybercrime, hate and violence, while encouraging them to participate actively in democracy through peaceful and responsible engagement.
“Your future is too valuable to be rented out,” she told the youths. “Do not allow anyone to use your youth as a weapon and leave you to face the consequences alone.”
The POWA President, who spoke from the perspective of a mother as well as a leader of an organisation closely connected to the police family, said she was particularly concerned about young people being persuaded that violence was a pathway to power or relevance.
She urged youths to recognise that their voice, ideas, skills and votes were more powerful tools for shaping Nigeria’s future than violence.
“You have something far more powerful: your voice, your ideas, your skills and your vote,” she said, stressing that political consciousness and participation should not be confused with violent confrontation.
According to her, young Nigerians could disagree politically without becoming enemies, support candidates without losing themselves and participate passionately in democratic processes without resorting to violence.
“As mothers, we want to see you come home safely,” she said, urging young people to channel their energy into education, entrepreneurship, technology, creative expression and problem-solving.
Mrs. Disu also drew attention to the growing security implications of misinformation and irresponsible use of social media, urging young Nigerians to verify information before sharing it.
“Think before you click; verify before you share,” she said, warning that not everything that trends online is true and that manipulated videos, false claims and misleading screenshots could trigger fear, inflame communities or damage people’s reputations.
“Your phone is powerful. Use it to build, not to destroy,” she added.
The POWA President said Nigeria needed a generation of young people who were prepared to lead but also understood the responsibility that came with leadership.
She noted that although young Nigerians came from different backgrounds and circumstances, their aspirations remained broadly similar, including the desire for security, opportunity, dignity and a country where dreams could be translated into reality.
She therefore challenged the youths to choose “purpose over pressure, service over selfishness, truth over misinformation and leadership over thuggery.”
“Whenever anyone asks you to choose between violence and your future, remember: your future is greater than political thuggery,” she said.
The International Youth Day 2026 programme, organised by the Nigeria Police Force as a National Youth Leadership & Security Initiative, is centred on youth leadership, responsible citizenship, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital responsibility and peaceful democratic participation. The three-day initiative ran from August 20 to 22, 2026, with activities designed to strengthen Police–Youth partnerships and promote safer communities.