2027 Elections: Police Adopt Roadmap To Protect Voters, Curb Violence

By Ejike Ejike, Abuja and Emmanuel Mgbeahurike, Owerri

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has adopted a comprehensive election-security roadmap covering the entire electoral cycle as part of measures to protect voters, electoral officials and materials and prevent violence during the 2027 general elections.

The resolutions were reached at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO 2026), which ended in Owerri, Imo State, after three days of presentations, panel sessions and contributions by senior police officers, security experts and other stakeholders.

The conference, organised by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with Lenders Consult International, was themed: “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”

A major component of the resolutions is the establishment of an election-security task force with clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, performance indicators and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the roadmap is implemented throughout the electoral cycle.

The Police also resolved to adopt a “Predict, Prevent and Manage” framework, relying on historical data, current intelligence and post-election reviews to identify electoral flashpoints, anticipate threats and continuously update operational plans.

Under the framework, relevant election-security information will be digitised and maintained in a secure central database.

The Force further resolved to accelerate the transition towards smart and intelligence-led policing through the digitisation of police processes, integration of relevant data systems and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence for investigations, crime analysis, threat detection and operational decision-making.

The conference, however, stipulated that technology must support rather than replace professional judgment, with its use subject to data-protection safeguards, explainability, supervisory review, audit and human oversight.

The Police also identified stronger collaboration among security agencies as critical to securing the 2027 polls.

It resolved to strengthen the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security through joint threat assessments and exercises, clearer command responsibilities, common briefing standards, interoperable communication systems and coordinated rapid-response mechanisms.

The resolutions further called for the harmonisation of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guidelines for security personnel with the Nigeria Police operational framework.

The conference also resolved that public-order operations during elections must comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability.

Communication, negotiation and de-escalation are to be prioritised, while force is to be used only where lawful, necessary and proportionate.

Every use-of-force incident is to be promptly reported, documented and subjected to supervisory review.

On electoral offences, the Police resolved to establish appropriately trained election-security investigation teams and strengthen collaboration with INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and relevant prosecutorial authorities.

The objective is to improve the investigation and prosecution of offences including vote-buying, intimidation, electoral violence and unlawful possession of arms.

On funding, training, and neutrality during the elections, the conference called for adequate and timely funding of election-security operations, including logistics, personnel allowances, equipment, duty rotations and transportation arrangements.

It also directed that operational plans should prioritise the protection of voters, electoral officials and election materials, with particular attention to women, older persons and persons with disabilities.

The Force resolved to provide comprehensive training and retraining for officers deployed for election duties.

Force PRO, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said these resolutions are consistent with earlier warnings by Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, that police personnel must remain politically neutral during the 2027 elections and that officers who collude with political actors or abuse their powers would be investigated and punished.

Disu had also told senior officers that the police must prepare for electoral crises before they occur, with intelligence gathering, early-warning systems, training, rapid response and protection of electoral personnel and materials forming key elements of the Force’s preparations.