Senior Police Officers have been tasked with turning Nigeria’s experience of election-related security challenges into a practical plan capable of protecting voters, particularly women, elderly citizens and persons with disabilities, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu gave the charge on Monday in Owerri, Imo State, where senior police officers gathered for the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO.
Opening the conference, Disu unveiled a six-point security roadmap built around early intelligence gathering, rigorous training, joint operations with sister security agencies, rapid communication, partnership with citizens and strict political neutrality.
For the groups most likely to need additional protection at polling centres, the IGP delivered a direct warning, security at the polling unit must begin with making voters feel safe enough to participate.
“A polling unit where these citizens feel unsafe is a polling unit where the election has already failed,” he said, referring specifically to women, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
The Police Force had earlier said CARSPO 2026 would develop practical measures for protecting voters, electoral personnel, candidates, electoral materials and the wider public before, during and after the 2027 elections.
Protecting vulnerable voters
For a woman approaching a polling unit, an elderly voter who may struggle to move quickly during a disturbance, or a person with a disability who may require additional assistance, election security means more than the presence of armed officers.
It means being able to reach the polling unit without intimidation, cast a ballot without harassment and leave safely.
That concern is now part of the security conversation among the senior police officers meeting in Owerri.
Disu directed the mapping of electoral flashpoints and criminal networks well ahead of the election.
He also ordered that credible intelligence should reach commands early enough for police commanders to act before threats escalate.
The IGP said officers would receive training in crowd management, protection of electoral materials and personnel, as well as human-rights-compliant policing.
The plan also provides for joint exercises involving the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and other security agencies, with the aim of establishing clear lines of command before an emergency occurs.
The Police and INEC had already discussed election-security planning in May, including intelligence mapping, movement of electoral materials and personnel, coordination with other security agencies and countering misinformation.
Faster response, clearer communication
Another concern highlighted by Disu is what happens when voters need help.
The IGP directed Commissioners of Police to publish official contact numbers that members of the public can access.
For voters facing intimidation, violence or other emergencies, the directive is intended to make it easier to know where to report a problem and seek police intervention.
The Police leadership is also concerned about what voters see and hear online.
Disu directed officers to monitor election-related disinformation, including fake results, forged police statements and inflammatory videos, while ensuring that persons who incite violence online face prosecution in accordance with the law.
This is particularly significant because misleading information can spread rapidly during elections, potentially creating fear or triggering confrontations before facts are established.
The IGP also warned police personnel against taking sides.
Any officer who harasses voters, colludes with political actors or otherwise compromises the Force’s neutrality during the elections, he said, would be investigated and punished.
The message places responsibility not only on politicians and voters but also on the police officers deployed to protect the electoral process.
From security figures to public safety
Beyond the 2027 election plan, Disu used the gathering to present an eight-month operational scorecard since assuming office in February.
According to the IGP, police operations during the period resulted in the arrest of 1,643 suspects and the rescue of 1,066 kidnap victims.
The figures included 251 terrorists and suspected bandits, 343 murder suspects, 566 armed robbery suspects and 483 suspected cultists.
The Force also recovered 947 firearms and more than 22,000 rounds of ammunition, according to Disu.
But the IGP acknowledged that such figures do not necessarily ease the fears of families living with insecurity.
“Numbers do not console a grieving family,” Disu said, adding that the Police would continue confronting kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence even as preparations for the elections intensify.
The recent Osun governorship election also featured in his assessment. Disu described the election as largely peaceful but acknowledged isolated incidents of voter intimidation and inducement.
He consequently ordered a review of intelligence gathering, police response times and training gaps.
The objective, he said, is to ensure that lessons from previous electoral engagements are converted into better preparation for 2027.
The IGP also paid tribute to police officers who died in the line of duty and pledged improved welfare for their families and serving personnel.
The retreat, which coincides with the International Day of Peace, is being held under the global theme, “Invest in Peace, For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.”
IGP Disu challenged the senior officers to ensure that the outcome of their discussions becomes an operational document rather than another report left unused.
He gave October 12 as the deadline for completing the election-security roadmap and establishing the proposed election-security taskforce.
As the senior officers return to their commands, his closing charge was simple, “Neutral. Prepared. Present. Accountable.”
The three-day CARSPO 2026, organised by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with Lenders Consult International, is focused on developing practical strategies for election security ahead of the 2027 polls.
The event at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Convention Centre, Owerri, was attended by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF representing President Bola Tinubu, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, a representative of the Senate President; military and security chiefs, and captains of industry.
