The Marshal of the Royal Ambassadors of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Bitebo Eregoba, has warned Nigerian youths against allowing politicians to recruit them for electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Eregoba cautioned young people against accepting money or other inducements to snatch ballot boxes, intimidate voters, disrupt polling and engage in other electoral offences, warning that those who carry out such acts often bear the consequences while their political sponsors remain untouched.
He gave the warning on Wednesday at the Baptist Church in Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a briefing where he announced plans to train more than 2,000 youths from across Nigeria at the organisation’s forthcoming National Leadership Training Conference.
“There are people who will come to you with money and tell you to go and cause trouble on election day. They will tell you to snatch ballot boxes, to harass voters, to intimidate people and to foment violence. Do not accept it,” he said.
The Baptist leader warned that involvement in election-related violence could expose young people to arrest, prosecution and imprisonment, while damaging their reputations and future opportunities.
“If anything goes wrong, if a life is lost, if property is destroyed, the man who sent you will not be in the dock. He will be in his house, eating, while you sit in a cell,” Eregoba said.
He urged youths to protect their future by refusing to become instruments of political intimidation and violence, particularly as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Eregoba also called on churches, pastors and parents to take a more active role in monitoring and guiding young people, including paying attention to their friendships, activities and unexplained sources of money.
“Know their friends, know who is calling them, know who is giving them money. A boy who leaves the house in the morning and returns at night with a new phone deserves a question, not a celebration,” he said.
The planned National Leadership Training Conference, themed “Divine Companionship,” is expected to bring together Royal Ambassadors from different parts of the country for leadership development, character building and discussions on responsible citizenship.
According to Eregoba, the annual gathering will also provide an opportunity for the organisation to review its activities over the outgoing year, identify areas requiring improvement and establish priorities for the next year.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Toluwade of Akinale, Oba Oluseyi Adediran, are expected to attend as special guests of honour.
Eregoba described the Royal Ambassadors as a faith-based organisation focused on raising young men who are committed to their faith, serve their communities and contribute to national development with integrity.
He said its activities extend beyond religious meetings to practical efforts aimed at tackling social and moral challenges affecting young Nigerians.
“The Royal Ambassadors, as a missions and discipline organisation, has never seen itself as a club that meets on Sunday and disappears on Monday. We are raised to make disciples, and discipline is part of discipleship,” he said.
As part of those efforts, he disclosed that the organisation had established Anti-Social Vices Clubs in states where it operates, with activities coordinated down to the local government level. The initiative is intended to address issues such as drug abuse, indiscipline and other harmful practices among young people.
He added that the association works with agencies and institutions including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Orientation Agency, school authorities, community leaders and civil society organisations.
The organisation is also seeking to support vulnerable youths dealing with challenges such as poverty and unemployment, which Eregoba said must be addressed as part of efforts to raise responsible and productive citizens.
Explaining the conference theme, he expressed concern that many young Nigerians lacked adequate guidance and support as they navigated the challenges of growing up.
He noted that some young people received limited parental attention, while teachers and religious leaders were often stretched by their responsibilities.
“The deepest problem facing a young person in Nigeria today is not poverty alone. It is not unemployment alone. It is not even bad leadership alone. It is that he is walking his journey alone,” he said.
Eregoba said the conference would emphasise the importance of mentorship, spiritual guidance and supportive relationships in helping young people make responsible decisions.
He also commended the Ogun Baptist Conference, led by Coun. Moses Okunola, for agreeing to host this year’s National Leadership Training Conference in Abeokuta.
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