The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr Joseph Ochogwu, has urged Nigerian youths to reject hate speech, misinformation and intolerance as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Ochogwu made the call on Thursday in Abuja during a two-day training programme organised by the IPCR for members of the National Youth Service Corps, Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme participants, interns and volunteers under its Renewed Hope Agenda for Young Peacebuilders.
He said the programme was designed to equip more than 80 young Nigerians with skills in conflict management, leadership and fact-checking, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to peace and national development.
According to Ochogwu, young Nigerians should move beyond being beneficiaries of peacebuilding programmes and become active participants in preventing and resolving conflicts.
He said the initiative would help participants better understand the relationship between government policies and national development while equipping them to engage constructively on public issues.
The IPCR boss said the training would also address emerging threats posed by misinformation, disinformation and mal-information, particularly as the 2027 elections approach.
“We’re also training them on basic leadership skills, basic conflict management skills. We’re also going to teach them issues around misinformation, disinformation, mal-information, for them to be able to fact-check information, because the election is coming,” he said.
Ochogwu explained that the programme was conceived after interactions with young Nigerians revealed a disconnect between what students learn in institutions of higher education and government policies and programmes.
He stressed the importance of helping young people understand national policies so they can participate more effectively in public discourse.
The IPCR director-general also urged participants to use their influence responsibly and build bridges across ethnic, religious and political divides.
“If we follow the kind of divisive politicisation that is going on in our society, we really might lose this team and nobody is going to wait for us. No country is going to wait for us. We have to build Nigeria for ourselves,” he said.
Representing the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, Ambassador Muyiwa Aiyedun said peacebuilding remained critical to national development, stressing that meaningful progress could not be achieved without peace.
He encouraged young Nigerians to play an active role in preventing violence and strengthening unity in their communities.
The Senior Conflict Adviser at the British High Commission in Abuja, David Rinnert, also advised young people to verify information before acting, particularly given the widespread use of social media.
Rinnert encouraged participants to research claims, consult others and fact-check information before reaching conclusions or taking action.
He also urged young peacebuilders to complement online engagement with direct interaction with communities to better understand their needs and concerns.
The United Nations Peace and Development Adviser in Nigeria, Grace Kpohazounde, urged young Nigerians to speak out against injustice, exclusion and other factors capable of triggering conflict.
Kpohazounde, who disclosed that she began her career as an unpaid United Nations intern, advised young people to view peacebuilding as a long-term commitment rather than a means of achieving quick financial gains.
She warned that the approaching election period could heighten tensions and leave young people vulnerable to manipulation.
Kpohazounde urged participants to confront hate speech, exclusion, injustice and other warning signs of conflict, whether they occur online or within their communities.
“There are no quick fixes for peace. But peace is so important that it deserves that type of commitment,” she said.
The training is expected to strengthen a network of young peacebuilders equipped to promote dialogue, tolerance, responsible digital citizenship and peaceful engagement across communities in Nigeria.
