Police Promise Security For Elections – Are They Prepared?

As Nigeria strikes in direction of the 2027 normal elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has assured Nigerians that the power is able to present safety, even when the elections had been to start instantly.

Disu gave the reassurance on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, throughout a gathering with a United Nations delegation led by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão.

The police chief stated officers had been present process coaching and retraining on election safety, whereas the power was collaborating with different safety companies, together with the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

He additionally stated the police had recognized potential safety challenges and had been making ready to guard voters, together with individuals with disabilities.

However, latest incidents involving political actors have raised questions in regards to the power’s capacity to translate its assurances into efficient safety forward of the polls.

On October 30, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, alleged that his convoy was attacked close to Sokoto Airport after he escorted former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the airport.

The ADC alleged that personnel of the Sokoto Marshal and the state Community Guard obstructed the convoy and that gunshots had been fired. The social gathering additionally claimed that two DSS operatives had been detained.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), nevertheless, dismissed the allegations as fabricated and accused the opposition of looking for public sympathy.

In a subsequent account, the DSS stated its operatives had evacuated Dan’iya to security, whereas two of its personnel had been allegedly assaulted and had been receiving medical remedy.

The incident got here amid issues by the ADC over safety preparations for its political actions in Sokoto.

Another incident was reported in Ekiti State, the place African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore alleged that armed males attacked him and members of his workforce in Ado-Ekiti on October 30.

Sowore accused the Ekiti State Government and DSS operatives of involvement, allegations that haven’t been independently established.

The Ekiti State Police Command disputed the preliminary declare that Sowore had been kidnapped, saying preliminary data instructed an altercation with unidentified people. The command stated officers responded to a misery name, rescued these affected and took them for medical consideration.

The police additionally stated Sowore had not formally notified the command of his actions within the state, including that the commissioner of police had ordered an investigation into the incident.

The Ekiti State Government denied duty and known as for an intensive investigation.

These incidents revive issues about electoral violence and accountability in Nigeria, notably following the 2023 normal elections.

The European Union Election Observation Mission documented assaults on political actors, insufficient safety responses in some areas and issues in regards to the prosecution of electoral offences.

Similarly, a joint report by the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, drawing on ACLED knowledge, recorded 274 election-related violence incidents and 348 related fatalities in 2023.

Although the police reported 781 arrests for electoral offences throughout the 2023 elections, observers raised issues about restricted public data on subsequent prosecutions and sanctions.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the problem for the police will probably be to reveal that their preparations can stop violence, shield political actors no matter social gathering affiliation and be certain that allegations of misconduct are investigated impartially