The Katsina State Police Command is now focusing on political violence and what they call "digital thuggery" as the campaigns for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections start.
The police made this known during a youth engagement in Katsina on Thursday. This event was part of the activities for the 2026 International Youth Day.
This announcement comes as political activities are ramping up. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a new timetable and schedule for the 2027 general elections.
Abubakar Aliyu, the police spokesperson in Katsina, stated that the command is paying attention to two key issues: political thuggery and digital thuggery.
At the event, the Commissioner of Police, Ali Fage, was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Aminu Gusau, who oversees Finance and Administration.
Mr Gusau told the youth that they have an important part to play in keeping peace as the elections approach. "The general election is an opportunity to express democratic choice, not an arena for conflict," he stated.
He added that young people’s hopes for jobs, security, tech development, and social infrastructure can only be met in a safe environment.
The police also discussed electoral offences, hate speech, false information, cyberbullying, and how young people are sometimes recruited for violence during the event. Many groups attended, including student organizations, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, the National Youth Service Corps, and various civil society and religious groups.
Focus on ‘Digital Thuggery’
The term "digital thuggery" is part of a larger campaign launched by the Nigeria Police Force that is not just limited to Katsina.
On 9 August, the Force Headquarters announced two nationwide campaigns to mark International Youth Day. One is called "My Future Is Greater Than Political and Digital Thuggery." It aims to discourage political violence and electoral thuggery, along with what the police describe as digital manipulation.
The other campaign is titled "Think Before You Click. Verify Before You Share." This one focuses on misinformation, disinformation, cyberbullying, and the misuse of new technologies.
The national police statement did not explain what "digital thuggery" means legally or what specific offences it covers under Nigerian law. The Katsina command also did not clarify what online political actions would count as digital thuggery or how they would tell it apart from lawful political speech, campaigning, satire, or other expressions.
It was also unclear whether this initiative would bring about new enforcement methods or if suspected crimes would be dealt with under existing laws on crime, cybercrime, and elections.
This initiative comes as part of an ongoing anti-thuggery campaign in Katsina. In April, Governor Dikko Radda signed the Miscreant Activities (Suppression) Order, 2026. This was in response to rising gang violence, street thuggery, and public disorder in the state.
The order created the Katsina State Kauraye and Thuggery Suppression Task Force. This group includes the police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Katsina Community Watch Corps, and other state bodies.
The task force is tasked with identifying and breaking up gangs, conducting surveillance, making arrests, and supporting prosecutions. The government’s order focused on street and gang issues but did not mention "digital thuggery."
Meanwhile, the Katsina police command stated that they have set up a Police-Youth Dialogue. This platform allows young people to discuss security, public trust, crime prevention, responsible citizenship, and police-youth relations with police leaders.
Participants at Thursday's meeting promised to promote responsible use of social media, voter education, and peaceful participation in the elections. The three-day program includes a walkathon on Friday morning and a panel discussion between young people and the police commissioner on Saturday at the Police Officers’ Mess on Kangiwa Road, GRA, Katsina.
The police urged young people to check information before sharing it online and to report any attempts to recruit them for illegal activities.
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