The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned that escalating insecurity across the country poses a major threat to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
Amupitan raised the concern on Wednesday in Abuja during a strategic meeting with the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, as part of early consultations on security preparations for the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman cautioned that persistent violence, electoral malpractice and widening security gaps could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process if urgent and coordinated action is not taken.
He noted that the country’s electoral environment had continued to face challenges such as vote buying, intimidation of voters, attacks on election officials and general insecurity, all of which, he said, threaten both the credibility of elections and national stability.
“In Nigeria, our electoral system has placed numerous challenges over the years, ranging from malpractices to threats of violence and vote trading that undermine the confidence of the electorate,” he said.
“These challenges not only affect the outcome of elections, but also pose significant risks to national security. It is therefore imperative that we address them with seriousness and resolve.”
Security risk assessment ahead of polls
Amupitan stressed the need for comprehensive, intelligence-driven security planning ahead of the elections, urging security agencies to identify potential flashpoints across the country and deploy preventive strategies.
He warned that the scale of insecurity in several parts of the country made early coordination between INEC and security agencies unavoidable.
“The scale of insecurity across various parts of Nigeria presents a threat to the conduct of credible elections,” he said.
“It is essential that we carry out a total security risk analysis ahead of the elections to identify potential flashpoints and deploy appropriate strategies to mitigate risks, thereby safeguarding voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the process.”
He added that the 2027 general elections—comprising the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly polls slated for February 6, 2027—would require heightened collaboration between INEC and security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, which leads election security operations.
The INEC boss also noted that ongoing political activities, including party congresses and primaries under the Electoral Act 2026, had further increased the urgency for robust security planning.
He also referenced upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, alongside several by-elections nationwide, describing them as key tests of Nigeria’s democratic resilience.
Concern over IDPs, persons with disabilities
Amupitan further expressed concern over the exclusion of vulnerable groups, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and persons with disabilities, stressing that adequate arrangements must be made to ensure their participation in elections.
“I also want to draw attention to several IDP camps scattered across Nigeria. It is their right to vote and they must not be disenfranchised,” he said.
“We are working to ensure that people in IDP camps are given conducive environments to exercise their franchise, as well as persons with disabilities.”
He urged security agencies to incorporate special considerations for vulnerable groups in their operational planning.
Police pledge decisive action
In his response, the Inspector-General of Police assured INEC of the readiness of the force to tackle emerging threats and ensure a secure environment for the elections.
He said the police would adopt intelligence-led and preventive policing strategies to address electoral violence, cyber manipulation, arms proliferation and attacks on electoral infrastructure.
According to him, nationwide threat assessments and intelligence mapping had already commenced in collaboration with other security agencies.
“I assure you that the police will enforce electoral laws firmly and professionally,” he said.
He warned that individuals involved in electoral offences such as vote buying, ballot snatching, voter intimidation and destruction of election materials would be arrested and prosecuted.
“We will ensure that anyone involved in ballot snatching, vote buying, voter intimidation, destruction of electoral materials or attacks on electoral officials is arrested and prosecuted according to the law,” he added.
The police chief also confirmed that arrangements had been made to ensure adequate security for IDPs and persons with disabilities during the electoral process.
“We have taken IDPs into account in our plans, and persons with disabilities have also been fully factored into our security arrangements,” he said.
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