The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has warned police officers against taking sides in the 2027 general elections, saying personnel who compromise their neutrality or abuse their powers will be investigated and punished.
Disu said the police must protect citizens and enforce the law without seeking to influence electoral outcomes, warning that any officer who takes sides, harasses voters, colludes with political actors or abuses their powers during the elections would face disciplinary action.
He gave the warning on Monday in Owerri, Imo State, while addressing senior police officers at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO), where he outlined measures for securing the 2027 elections.
“Any officer who takes sides, harass voters, collude with political actors, or abuse power during those elections will be investigated and punished accordingly,” he said.
Disu said election security must begin before election day, with the police focusing on intelligence gathering, training, protection of electoral personnel and materials, violence prevention and rapid response.
He directed commissioners of police to strengthen intelligence gathering in their jurisdictions, identify potential flashpoints and ensure that credible information reaches command in time for action.
“Our intelligence and early warning system must be fully activated, with flashpoints and criminal networks mapped out. Commissioners must know their communities, and credible intelligence must reach command in time for the police to act on it,” he said.
The IGP also directed the training of officers in crowd management, protection of electoral personnel and materials, conflict prevention, rapid response and human rights compliance.
“We’ll protect women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. A polling unit where the citizens feel unsafe is a polling unit where election has already failed,” he said.
Disu called for joint exercises involving the police, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other security agencies, stressing that election security required coordination among the agencies.
“No agency secures an election alone,” he said.
He also directed the Force to strengthen communication and respond quickly to election-related disinformation, including fake results, false police statements and inflammatory videos capable of triggering violence.
The IGP said the police would engage traditional and religious leaders, youths, civil society groups, the media and other stakeholders throughout the electoral cycle rather than waiting until elections were approaching.
He said lessons from the recent Osun governorship election would also be used to improve preparations for 2027, particularly in areas where intelligence, response, training or communication fell short.
Disu further directed that election duty allowances be paid on time and officers given adequate rest through duty rotation, stressing that properly supported personnel were less likely to compromise their duties.
He also reminded officers that the use of force must be lawful, proportionate and a last resort.
“Do not wait for a crisis to engage your community, or for an election to reveal your preparedness, or for misconduct to go viral before you act. I want every police officer to be proactive, be present, be accessible, and accountable,” he said.