2027 elections: INEC calls for massive security mobilisation as electoral activities intensify

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has urged security agencies across Nigeria to significantly strengthen election security planning, intelligence gathering, deployment strategies, and inter-agency collaboration as the country prepares for a busy electoral cycle leading to the 2027 General Election.

Prof. Amupitan made the call on Friday during the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for 2026, held at the Commission’s Conference Room in Abuja.

Describing 2026 as a critical year filled with multiple electoral activities, the INEC chairman said the Commission would be conducting several polls, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, bye-elections, and off-cycle governorship elections.

He stressed that these elections would require enhanced security coordination to ensure credible outcomes.

According to him, the successful conduct of elections depends largely on the protection of voters, electoral officials, and election materials, noting that the increasing electoral activities have placed a heavy responsibility on both INEC and security agencies.

Prof. Amupitan commended security agencies for their professionalism during the Anambra State Governorship Election held on November 8, 2025.

He observed that despite the state’s history of election-related violence and insecurity, the poll was conducted peacefully due to effective security deployment, proactive intelligence sharing, and decisive responses to potential threats.

He noted that the peaceful conduct of the election enabled INEC to declare a winner on the first ballot, describing the outcome as a significant improvement compared to previous elections in the state.

The INEC boss disclosed that the Commission’s immediate focus is now on the FCT Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. The election will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils of the FCT.

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With political campaigns set to end on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Prof. Amupitan urged security agencies to strictly enforce electoral laws, prevent the use of political thugs, curb vote buying, and guarantee the safety of voters and electoral personnel throughout the election period.

He revealed that INEC has concluded major logistical and administrative preparations for the election, including batching and distributing non-sensitive materials to Area Councils and training Electoral Officers and election security personnel.

He added that the training of ad-hoc staff commenced on February 6 and is expected to conclude on February 15, while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices are currently being configured. Sensitive election materials, he said, would be delivered under strict security arrangements.

As part of efforts to test preparedness, the Commission will conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils. Details of the selected polling units will be published on the Commission’s website.

Despite these preparations, the INEC chairman emphasised that administrative readiness alone cannot guarantee credible elections without effective security coordination, particularly in identified flashpoints.

Prof. Amupitan further disclosed that bye-elections would be conducted on the same day as the FCT polls in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies in Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies in Kano State. He stressed the need for heightened vigilance and seamless cooperation among security agencies during the elections.

Looking ahead, he announced that Ekiti State would hold its governorship election on June 20, 2026, while Osun State’s governorship poll is scheduled for August 8, 2026.

He noted that preparatory activities for both elections had already begun, adding that early security planning remains crucial to ensuring peaceful electoral processes.

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As part of preparations for the 2027 General Election, Prof. Amupitan revealed that INEC would soon commence a nationwide voter revalidation exercise aimed at cleaning up the national voters’ register.

He also noted that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would continue alongside the revalidation exercise, both of which would require strong security support.

Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Co-Chair of ICCES, the Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA, Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, congratulated INEC and security agencies for the successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election, describing it as a model for future elections.

Abdullahi disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency for election security, has already begun mobilising resources to ensure the peaceful conduct of the FCT Area Council elections, the bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States, and the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections.

In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by the Commissioner of Police in charge of Elections, CP Abayomi Shogunle, reaffirmed the commitment of the police to extensive deployment of personnel for elections nationwide.

He assured that adequate security would continue to be provided for INEC staff, facilities, and election materials across the country.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment by INEC and security agencies to sustained collaboration, heightened vigilance, and professionalism in safeguarding Nigeria’s electoral process throughout the demanding 2026 electoral calendar and beyond.