The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has assured that lessons from previous elections are shaping the Nigeria Police Force’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Disu gave the assurance on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, when he received a delegation led by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr Leonardo Santos Simão, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
According to a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the meeting focused on the police force’s preparedness for the 2027 elections and measures to ensure a peaceful, secure, and inclusive electoral process.
Speaking during the engagement, Simão said the visit provided an opportunity to discuss election security against the backdrop of prevailing security challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.
He stressed the need to prevent political competition from escalating into violence and sustain public confidence in the impartiality of the police.
The UN representative also sought updates on lessons learnt from previous elections and measures to protect vulnerable voters, particularly internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Responding, Disu said experiences from previous elections, including off-cycle polls, were informing the force’s operational planning and training programmes.
He disclosed that police personnel and officers from other security agencies were undergoing training to strengthen inter-agency coordination, improve election security management and address the needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
The IGP also said the police were conducting threat assessments across their formations to guide deployments and targeted security operations ahead of the elections.
According to him, the force is collaborating with other security agencies to tackle threats in vulnerable areas, with particular attention to ensuring that internally displaced persons can exercise their electoral rights in a secure environment.
On electoral logistics, Disu highlighted the police collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the timely and secure distribution of election materials.
He said the collaboration, alongside joint training and improved coordination among security agencies, formed part of broader efforts to strengthen the force’s preparedness for its election security responsibilities.
The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to professional and impartial policing, inter-agency cooperation and engagement with relevant stakeholders to provide a safe environment for Nigerians to exercise their electoral rights.
