The Federal Government has assured it would implement measures to prevent any action that would disrupt the electoral process during the February 21 Area Council elections in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, atthe Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting in Abuja on Friday, said security and law enforcement agencies will mobilise personnel and resources during the election.
The NSA, represented by the Director of Internal Security in his office, Hassan Abdullahi, stated that adequate security personnel would be deployed to prevent situations and high-risk electoral wars.
According to him, political talks and politicians with violent dispositions “will be identified and reprimanded or restrained before, during, and after the election, while vote buyers will be traced and apprehended.”
Mallam Ribadu called on political parties, candidates, and their supporters to conduct themselves with decorum and uphold the integrity of the democratic process.
“Any non-compliance will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law,” he warned.
He expresses profound appreciation for security and law enforcement agencies for their outstanding performance during last year’s Anambra State governorship election.
“The successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election underscores the unwavering commitment of President Bola Tinubu to free, credible and violence-free elections, thereby establishing a positive benchmark for future elections,” Ribadu stated.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle, said the Nigeria Police Force “will continue to deploy massively for all elections across the country …to ensure that elections are violent and free.”
Egbetokun assured adequate security to staff, facilities and materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country.
“This is to enable members of INEC and staff to be able to carry out their duties without any fear in any part of the country,” the IGP stated.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, in his address, called on security agencies to up the ante in planning, deployment, intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination, to ensure that every electoral activity in Nigeria is conducted in a safe, peaceful and credible environment.
Prof. Amupitan called for early and sustained security engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC Chairman, who disclosed that the commission will conduct a number of elections this year across the country, stated that elections cannot be credible if citizens feel unsafe to participate.
“As we approach the 2027 general election, public interest and expectations continue to rise,” he said, noting that conducting multiple elections simultaneously across different states further reinforces the need for heightened vigilance, adequate manpower deployment and seamless inter-agency cooperation.
He commended the professionalism and dedication of security agencies during the November 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election.
“Your effective deployment, proactive intelligence coordination and firm response to threats ensured that the electoral space was sufficiently secured.
“The commission was able to declare a winner on the first ballot, despite past experiences in the state.
“This outcome would not have been possible without the commitment of security personnel who protected voters, electoral officials, materials and critical infrastructure,” the INEC Chairman said.
He, however, demands their neutrality and commitment to election duties, demanding vigilance, proactiveness and unity of purpose to enable INEC navigate the demanding electoral year.
