2027 Elections: Police promise peaceful polls, unveil security roadmap

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will work to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the 2027 general elections, as the Force intensifies preparations for the polls.

Disu gave the assurance in Lagos at the weekend while speaking with journalists after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from his alma mater, St. Gregory’s College, through the institution’s old boys’ association. He said the police had drawn lessons from the recent governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states and would build on those experiences ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We are very determined to ensure violence-free and peaceful elections in 2027. We have done it before and we will do it again,” Disu said.

The assurance comes as political parties step up campaigns ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, with the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to follow on February 6.

Beyond the IGP’s public assurance, the Police have adopted a broader security roadmap intended to guide operations before, during and after the elections.

The framework emerged from the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO 2026, held in Owerri, Imo State, from September 21 to 23.

The six priorities identified by the Force are strengthened intelligence and early-warning systems, intensive training and preparedness, joint command and inter-agency coordination, effective communication and deployment of technology, sustained community partnership, and political neutrality.

The police said the strategy is designed to move election security beyond reacting to violence after it occurs. Commissioners of Police have been directed to identify and map potential electoral flashpoints, criminal networks and emerging threats within their respective commands and strengthen community-based intelligence systems.

The Force has also resolved to establish an election security task force with defined responsibilities, timelines and performance indicators. According to the communique issued after the conference, the police intend to use historical data, current intelligence and post-election assessments to identify potential threats and continuously update operational plans.

One of the key issues the IGP has repeatedly highlighted is the political neutrality of officers deployed for election duties.

At the Owerri conference, Disu warned police personnel against taking sides or colluding with political actors. He said officers who abuse their powers or undermine the credibility of the electoral process would face investigation and disciplinary action.

The police have also warned politicians and their supporters against violence, voter intimidation, vote-buying and the movement of arms during the electoral period.

“Compete with ideas, not with thugs,” Disu told senior officers at the conference, while stressing that electoral offences should be investigated and prosecuted regardless of the status of those involved.

The Force has further stated that officers deployed for election duties will operate under the Constitution and the Electoral Act and receive training on rules of engagement and human-rights protection.

Election security will also require close cooperation between the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Police said their preparations include coordinated planning for the movement and protection of electoral personnel and materials, intelligence sharing and cooperation with other security agencies.

The Force has previously said it activated precision intelligence mapping to address political violence, cult-related activities and intimidation, while also developing plans for secure movement of electoral materials and personnel.

At the recent CARSPO conference, the Police also resolved to strengthen coordination through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, including joint threat assessments, clearer command responsibilities, common reporting standards and coordinated rapid-response mechanisms.

Delivering a peaceful election will require more than assurances and policy documents. The Police themselves identified adequate and timely funding as an important component of election security.

The CARSPO communique called for sufficient funding for logistics, personnel allowances, equipment, transportation and duty rotations before, during and after the elections.

The Force also resolved to strengthen training and retraining of election-duty personnel in electoral laws, intelligence gathering, crowd management, conflict prevention, political neutrality, technology and human rights.

These preparations will become increasingly important as the number of political activities and campaign events grows in the months leading to the elections.

The police have now outlined an extensive framework, but its effectiveness will depend on how consistently the measures are implemented across the country.

Early identification of electoral flashpoints, adequate deployment of personnel, timely intelligence, cooperation among security agencies and neutrality in dealing with competing political interests will be central to the security operation.

The conduct of political parties and their supporters will also remain important. The police have warned politicians against recruiting or using thugs, while peace accords and other preventive initiatives are being pursued in different states.

For voters, the objective is ultimately straightforward: to be able to attend political activities, cast their ballots and participate in the electoral process without intimidation or violence.

Disu’s latest assurance therefore places considerable responsibility on the Police Force to translate its six-pillar roadmap into action across its commands. The IGP has said the Force is prepared for that task; the coming months will show how effectively the plans are implemented as the 2027 election season gathers momentum.