Police assure Nigerians of security for 2027 polls
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Command, has assured Nigerians of adequate security ahead of the 2027 elections, saying the police have developed a broad-based security plan.
The Asst. Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 2 Command, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, has assured Nigerians of adequate security ahead of the 2027 elections. Jimoh says the police are fully prepared and there is no cause for fear. The AIG gave the assurance while receiving the 2026 Outstanding Excellence in Security Leadership Award on Monday at the command headquarters. The award was presented to him by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Integrity Youth Alliance, Abuja, Mr Kehinde Adewole.
Jimoh said the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had developed a broad-based security plan covering the pre-election period, campaign activities and the conduct of the elections. According to him, the plan involves intelligence gathering, threat analysis, training and continuous engagement with political parties, candidates, community leaders and other critical stakeholders.
He said Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu had directed Commissioners of Police, Asst. Inspectors-General and Deputy Inspectors-General to ensure adequate security for all stakeholders participating in the electoral process. “Early training programmes had commenced to equip police personnel with the skills required to discharge their duties professionally during the elections,” he said.
Jimoh said the NPF was also working with state commands through consultative committees on election security, which had been meeting regularly to identify and address potential threats. “There is no need for anybody to entertain fear. Everything is being put in place to ensure adequate security across the country,” he said.
The assurance is welcome, but Nigerians have heard such promises before. The police have often been accused of partisanship and failure to maintain order during elections. The test will be whether the police can remain neutral and protect voters from intimidation and violence.
This echoes the 2023 pre-election security assurances, which also promised a peaceful process but were undermined by violence in some states. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a gap between rhetoric and reality.
The winners: the Nigeria Police Force, which has articulated its security plan; and the Nigerian public, who have been assured of safety. The losers: those who might seek to disrupt the elections; and the Nigerian government, which must ensure the police deliver on their promises.
Bottom Line: The police have assured Nigerians of security for 2027. The question is whether they can deliver on the promise or whether the assurances will prove hollow.