The Ogun State Police Command has launched a statewide campaign tagged “My Future is Better than Political and Digital Thuggery” to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day in Abeokuta. The initiative, led by Commissioner of Police CP Bode Ojajuni, aligns with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu’s directive that no political ambition is worth the life or future of any young Nigerian. Activities began with a sensitization walkathon involving police officers alongside NDLEA, NYSC, Nigerian Army, NSCDC, Amotekun, Fire Service, POWA, NANS, National Youth Council and other youth and civil society groups.
The second phase was a high-level engagement session at the Police Officers’ Mess, Ibara Housing Estate, held in partnership with the Nigerian Youth Parliament under the global theme “Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future.” Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Adeoye Olugbemiga, who represented the CP, urged participants to reject cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse and political violence, and instead pursue education, entrepreneurship and digital skills. Legal practitioner and youth advocate, Dr. Kayode Akinsola, in his keynote, said real empowerment goes beyond handouts to include capacity building, digital literacy, mentorship and inclusion in decision-making. He charged youths to shift “from scrolling to creating, from complaining to contributing.”
The program ended with an interactive panel featuring DCP Olugbemiga, Lt. Col. P. L. Ebaji of 35 Artillery Brigade, UN Award winner Amb. Habeeb Whyte, and Skillup Summit Convener Mrs. Queen Joy Adeola Oluyege. The panel stressed civic responsibility, resilience and the need for successful youths to create opportunities for others. This was followed by a Q&A where young people raised issues on civic space, police-youth relations and personal growth. The Command reaffirmed its commitment to community policing through school outreach, mentorship and digital literacy, and called on parents, educators and community leaders to guide youths toward nation-building.
