President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged the Nigeria Police Force to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, impartiality and accountability in the conduct of security operations before, during and after the 2027 general elections.
The President gave the charge on Monday at the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO) in Owerri, Imo State, where senior police officers and other security stakeholders gathered to deliberate on strategies for effective management of security during the 2027 elections.
The conference, which runs from September 21 to 23, is themed, “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”
Represented at the opening ceremony by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Tinubu said the security of the electoral process must go beyond the protection of polling units and electoral materials to include the protection of voters, electoral officials and candidates.
He said the police must also create an environment conducive to peaceful political campaigns and participation, stressing that every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, social status or geographical location, must feel protected by the police.
“The police must be seen not as an instrument of any political interest, but as a national institution serving the Nigerian people and protecting the constitutional order,” the President said.
Tinubu said the Federal Government recognised the central role of the police in ensuring peaceful elections and would provide the necessary support to enable the Force effectively discharge its responsibilities.
He urged the police to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve response times, deepen community engagement, embrace technology and enhance cooperation with other security and law-enforcement agencies, noting that criminal networks were becoming increasingly sophisticated.
The President also commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the leadership of the Force for their efforts to reposition the Nigeria Police Force and respond to emerging security challenges.
He acknowledged the sacrifices of police officers involved in combating kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, banditry, cultism and other forms of criminality across the country, including officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
However, the President said the progress recorded so far must be matched by greater efforts, particularly in view of the high expectations of Nigerians for a secure and credible electoral environment.
Tinubu further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to police reform, stressing that meaningful transformation of the Force would require sustained investment in personnel, training, technology, intelligence infrastructure, operational logistics, welfare and institutional systems.
He tasked the senior police officers attending the retreat to move beyond discussions and produce a clear, practical and implementable roadmap capable of strengthening election security, improving operational preparedness and deepening public confidence in the police.
The President said the preparations should not be limited to the 2027 elections, but should contribute to building a modern, professional, technology-enabled, intelligence-driven and citizen-centred police service capable of responding to the changing security needs of Nigeria.
“The 2027 General Elections belong to the Nigerian people,” Tinubu said, stressing that security agencies and other stakeholders had a collective responsibility to ensure that the elections were conducted in an atmosphere of peace, security and confidence.
He said citizens must be free to participate in the democratic process without fear or intimidation, while security personnel must operate within the law and maintain professionalism throughout the electoral cycle.
The President’s charge comes as the Nigeria Police Force intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections, with intelligence-led policing, community partnerships, digital technologies and artificial intelligence identified among the areas being considered for strengthening election security.
The CARSPO 2026 brings together senior police officers, security experts and other stakeholders to examine emerging electoral security challenges and develop strategies for the period before, during and after the 2027 elections.
The retreat is expected to produce recommendations and operational strategies aimed at improving the preparedness of the Nigeria Police Force, strengthening inter-agency coordination and ensuring a more effective security architecture for the forthcoming electoral process.
