ABUJA, Nigeria — September 24, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, have raised fresh concerns over security, funding, vote buying and political violence ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The concerns were raised at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, where senior police officers and electoral stakeholders discussed how to strengthen election security.
INEC: Insecurity could disenfranchise voters
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, identified insecurity in some parts of the country as one of the commission’s major concerns.
He warned that insecurity could prevent some Nigerians from reaching polling units and therefore disenfranchise eligible voters.
INEC says it is working with the police and other security agencies to develop strategies for conducting elections in areas affected by insecurity.
Funding also a concern
Amupitan also said adequate funding is critical to providing the logistics and security needed for the 2027 elections.
He explained that INEC has responsibilities that go beyond conducting the presidential and legislative elections, including voter registration and other electoral activities.
According to him, limited financial resources can affect what the commission and security agencies are able to deploy.
Police warn officers against taking sides
IGP Olatunji Disu, meanwhile, warned police officers against taking sides with political actors during the elections.
He said officers who harass voters, collude with political actors or abuse their authority will face investigation and possible punishment.
The police chief also stressed that the Force’s role is to protect citizens and enforce the law, rather than influence electoral outcomes.
Vote buying and hate speech
INEC also expressed concern about the changing nature of vote buying.
Amupitan said some vote-buying activities are now allegedly organised away from polling units, making intelligence gathering important in detecting and preventing them.
He also raised concerns about hate speech and political campaigns based on personal attacks rather than policy issues. INEC says it is working with law-enforcement agencies on offences under the Electoral Act.
Police unveil election-security strategy
The police have also announced a six-pillar strategy for election security, covering areas including voter protection, police neutrality, intelligence, countering misinformation and coordination with other security agencies.
Nigeria’s 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
MONAFRIKA WATCH
With the 2027 elections approaching, INEC and the police are placing particular attention on security, funding, political violence, vote buying and the neutrality of security personnel.
The key question now is how these plans will translate into effective protection for voters, electoral officials and election materials across the country.
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