Police, military, other security agencies commence 2027 election security training

The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, has flagged off a training for senior officers of the police, military and other security and paramilitary agencies on election security management, ahead of the 2027 general election.

The event, themed “Professionalism, Neutrality and Collaboration,: Strengthening election security for safe and credible polls” was held at the Zone 2 Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos, in partnership with the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research (IPSPR).

It adopted a train-the-trainer approach, with participants expected to cascade the knowledge gained to personnel who will be deployed for the election in their various commands.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Jimoh, who oversees Lagos and Ogun states, gave the opening remarks, describing the theme as the tripod on which public confidence in the police, the military and other security agencies could be built.

He said the training was directed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu, as part of nationwide preparations to secure the three phases of the election: the pre-election period, election day and its aftermath.

Jimoh said political campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections were officially flagged off on 19 August, while campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections are billed to begin on 9 September.

He assured residents of Lagos and Ogun that the political atmosphere in both states remained peaceful, citing last year’s local government elections, which he said were successfully secured through joint collaboration among agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He said INEC’s permanent and ad-hoc staff, the National Youth Service Corps and electoral materials would be given adequate protection, and warned that parents and guardians must caution their children and wards against being used to disrupt the electoral process, adding that the full weight of the law would be applied against offenders.

He also appealed to the media to guard against misinformation and to promote unity and peace during the electoral period, and said new deployment strategies would be introduced to protect both the electorate and security personnel.

The training was thereafter formally declared open by a retired Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on behalf of the IGP.

Ojukwu said officers deployed for the election must be equipped with knowledge, competence and discretion, stressing that security agencies owe their loyalty to Nigeria and must collaborate, not work in isolation.

In a goodwill message on behalf of the Armed Forces Commanders, the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh, said the military was committed to supporting the democratic process and would provide lawful assistance to civil authorities where required, in strict accordance with the constitution and respect for the rights and dignity of citizens.

The Director-General of IPSPR, Dr Charles Omole, described election security as the oxygen of democracy, saying an unsecured ballot box amounted to a wish without a guarantee.

He said the training was designed to build the capacity of senior officers as trainers, and commended Jimoh for the initiative, urging other zonal police commands across the country to replicate the model.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Ayobami Salami, said INEC regards the police as the lead agency for election security.

Citing an incident from the 2023 general election in Ekiti State, he narrated how a security operative was nearly attacked and set ablaze by a mob after he was seen carrying a ballot box he had rescued from hoodlums who had earlier disrupted a polling unit.

He stressed that the officer’s ordeal, which left him hospitalised, underscored the need for proper safety briefing and professional conduct among personnel deployed for elections.

The training drew representatives of the police, the military, Department of State Services, (DSS); Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC); Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS); Federal Fire and Rescue Service; National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).