The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, says the Nigeria Police Force has commenced training and joint preparations with other security agencies to ensure effective security during the 2027 general elections.
Disu gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with a delegation led by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr Leonardo Simao.
The police chief said officers were being trained and updated on electoral security requirements, including challenges expected during the forthcoming polls.
He acknowledged that although the police were responsible for internal security and election policing, the force could not manage the exercise alone and would require the support of other security agencies.
Disu disclosed that the police had held joint meetings and training sessions with personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Department of State Services.
He said the collaboration was intended to improve coordination among security agencies and prepare personnel for their respective responsibilities during the elections.
The IGP also said the training covered measures to ensure that persons with disabilities were not excluded from the electoral process.
According to him, officers were being sensitised on how to identify and assist voters with disabilities, as part of efforts to make election security arrangements more inclusive.
Disu expressed confidence in the force’s level of preparation, saying it was ready to carry out its responsibilities if the elections were to begin immediately.
He assured the visiting delegation that the police would work with other agencies to support the conduct of the polls.
The engagement forms part of the Nigeria Police Force’s preparations for the 2027 elections, with inter-agency cooperation and personnel training identified as key elements of its security planning.
Deborah Adeyefa
