The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will intensify the fight against kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence while simultaneously preparing to secure the 2027 general elections.
Disu gave the assurance on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO 2026, in Owerri, Imo State, where he charged senior officers to ensure that the Force is adequately prepared to protect Nigerians throughout the electoral cycle.
He said the approaching elections would not cause the Police to slow down its operations against existing security threats, stressing that the Force must confront insecurity and election-related challenges at the same time.
“We will not slow down on these threats because an election is coming. We will fight them and secure the elections at the same time,” Disu said.
The IGP said the responsibility of the Police did not begin on election day, but covered the entire electoral cycle, including intelligence gathering, planning, training, protection of INEC personnel and materials, prevention of violence and rapid response.
“Our duty does not begin on election day. It covers the whole electoral cycle: intelligence, planning, training, protecting INEC staff and materials, preventing violence and responding fast. We must prepare before the crisis, not during it,” he said.
Disu disclosed that since he assumed office in February 2026, police officers had arrested 251 terrorists and suspected bandits, 343 murder suspects, 566 armed robbery suspects and 483 suspected cultists.
He added that 1,066 kidnapped victims had been rescued, while 947 firearms and more than 22,000 rounds of ammunition had been recovered.
The IGP, however, acknowledged that despite these operational achievements, kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence continued to cost Nigerians their lives and peace of mind.
“Numbers do not console a grieving family,” he said, stressing that the Force would remain focused on the country’s security challenges even as preparations for the elections intensify.
He said CARSPO 2026 would develop a practical roadmap based on six pillars aimed at strengthening the Police’s capacity to manage election security before, during and after the 2027 elections.
The first pillar, according to him, is intelligence and early warning, with police commands expected to identify electoral flashpoints and criminal networks ahead of time.
He directed Commissioners of Police to understand their areas of responsibility and ensure that credible intelligence reaches command structures early enough for appropriate action.
The second pillar is training, with officers expected to be prepared in crowd management, protection of electoral personnel and materials, conflict prevention, rapid response and human-rights-compliant policing.
Disu said particular attention must be given to protecting vulnerable voters, including women, elderly persons and persons with disabilities.
“A polling unit where these citizens feel unsafe is a polling unit where the election has already failed,” he said.
The third pillar is joint command and inter-agency cooperation.
According to the IGP, no agency can secure an election alone, stressing the need for joint exercises with INEC and sister security agencies, as well as clear lines of command and communication before an incident occurs.
He identified communication and technology as the fourth pillar, saying the Police must use technology and reliable communication systems to achieve real-time reporting, situational awareness and rapid response.
Disu also warned about the danger of election-related disinformation, noting that fake results, forged police statements and inflammatory videos could trigger violence before security personnel arrive.
He said the Force would monitor and counter such disinformation with facts while pursuing those who deliberately incite violence online.
The fifth pillar is partnership with the people.
The IGP called on traditional and religious leaders, youths, civil society organisations, the media and ordinary citizens to work continuously with the Police because communities often identify emerging tensions before security agencies do.
The sixth pillar, he said, is neutrality.
“We protect citizens and enforce the law. We do not decide political outcomes. We will be firm against violence, but always within the law,” Disu said.
The IGP also warned politicians and their supporters against using violence to influence the electoral process.
“Compete with ideas, not with thugs,” he told politicians, warning against the recruitment of mobs, vote-buying, movement of arms and threats against voters and electoral officials.
He said the Police would act against anyone involved in such activities, regardless of their status.
Disu further said the Force would work with INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate vote-buying and inducement.
“Arrest is not enough,” he said, adding that the Police would work with prosecutors to ensure that those arrested for electoral offences face trial.
The IGP urged Nigerians to participate peacefully in the elections and report wrongdoing, disclosing that the Force Public Relations Department would provide phone numbers for a public election complaints line ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also directed Commissioners of Police to publish official contact numbers through which members of the public could reach them.
“A Commissioner of Police the public cannot reach cannot understand the public’s fears,” he said.
Disu charged Commissioners to ensure that directives from Force Headquarters reach every officer through regular lectures and briefings, stressing that command also involves communication, supervision, correction and personal example.
He further directed that election-duty allowances be paid on time and that duty rotations allow officers adequate rest, noting that officers would be deployed for long hours in difficult environments.
He said every officer must understand the rules governing the use of force, stressing that force must remain a last resort, lawful and proportionate.
The IGP also warned that any police officer who takes sides, harasses voters, colludes with political actors or abuses power during the elections would be investigated and punished.
He urged officers not to wait for the Inspector-General to remind them to supervise, or wait for a crisis before engaging their communities and reviewing their preparedness.
“Be proactive. Be present. Be accessible. Be accountable,” he charged.
Disu said the retreat must produce a practical framework that clearly states who does what, when, where and how, stressing that the outcome should guide police training, deployment, command structure and conduct before, during and after the elections.
He warned that the outcome must not become another document left on a shelf, but should translate into practical action across police commands.
The IGP concluded by charging officers to remain “Neutral. Prepared. Present. Accountable” as they return to their respective commands.
He said the security of Nigeria remained a shared responsibility, but stressed that the Police had a critical role to play in ensuring peaceful elections and protecting citizens throughout the electoral process.
