.jpeg) |
| Photo shows: Dr Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police, Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Force Headquarters, Abuja, speaking during the panel discussion at the 2026 annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Publishers (GOCOP) held in Lagos on Thursday, October 8th |
The Nigeria Police Force has outlined a new strategy for safeguarding the 176,846 polling units expected to be used during the 2027 general elections.
Rather than deploying officers uniformly across the country, the police said they would rely on predictive analysis and risk assessment to identify areas where electoral violence, disruption, or other security threats are most likely to occur.
The intelligence-led approach will determine how personnel and resources are deployed before, during, and after the polls.
Dr. Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, disclosed the plan during a panel session at the 2026 annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos.
The conference, themed “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities,” ended on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
Shogunle’s comments align with the Force’s broader preparations for the 2027 elections, which include early intelligence gathering, specialised training, inter-agency coordination, technology, community engagement, and a commitment to police neutrality.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains 176,846 polling units across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, making nationwide election security one of the major operational challenges ahead of the polls.
Other members of the panel include Prof Tayo Popoola (Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Lagos); Dr Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack (Creative Director, Gender Agenda, Founder of WEWE Network Afrique); and Mr Lanre Arogundade (Executive Director, International Press Institute, IPI). The panel was moderated by Ken Ugbechue, Publisher, Political Economist.
The panel analysed the keynote presentation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, represented by the Lagos State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Ayobami Salami.
Dr. Shogunle revealed that the Police have already started deployment for the 2027 election, even as he assured of an adequate number of personnel to effectively police the general elections.
He said: “We found out that we needed to do different things. We brought in the academic angle as it is done in other countries. The Anambara State election was our first test. For once, election was conducted in one day. There was no shooting, no killing. There rather was an increase in voter turnout.”
“Next were Abuja and Ekiti, and there were no issues, too. In Anambra, our academic approach was the use of the problem analysis triangle. For crime to happen, there are three factors that must come together: Perpetrator, lack of guardianship, and the victim. We removed all those that were against election,”he added.
He also spoke about activating ‘Deterrence theory’ to stop people who were having plans. “In Ekiti, we knew about their closeness to Kogi, Kwara, etc. We used multilayered approach.
He said election security management has changed, noting that an election in only one state attracts many outsiders who could create problems.
 |
| Photo shows l-r: Panel Moderator Ken Ugbechue; Mr Lanre Arogundade (Executive Director, International Press Institute, IPI); Dr Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police, Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Dr Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack (Creative Director, Gender Agenda, Founder of WEWE Network Afrique); and Prof Tayo Popoola (Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Lagos); during the panel discussion at the 2026 annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Publishers (GOCOP) held in Lagos on Thursday, October 8th. |
He said the police would follow only what the law stipulated about elections, especially on who should announce results.
In his opening remarks, the Conference Chairman, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, described citizens as the major shareholders in the country’s democracy, urging, INEC to ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair and credible.
The former NBA president also raised the question of who has the constitutional authority to declare election results, owing to the proliferation of opinion polls, election projections and unofficial results shared across traditional and digital media. security
Welcoming members and guests, Danlami Nmodu, mni, GOCOP President, stated that the conference came at a very important moment in Nigeria’s history, being the eve of the 2027 general elections.
He said: “For me, the theme of the conference represents our contribution to deepening democracy in Nigeria. As the country moves towards another general election, there is a need for trust in institutions, transparency in the electoral process and a clear understanding that responsibility for credible elections does not belong to one institution or one group alone.
“I urge our politicians to always put the people first. Policies must be fashioned to improve the welfare of the masses. Those in power and those seeking to replace them must realise that the people matter always.
“Our duty as journalists is to put the spotlight on those in government as well as the opposition. We must report facts and be fair and balanced. Credible journalism is one of the ways we can contribute to a healthy democratic process.
“I also call on government to do more to tackle insecurity, enhance peace and support economic activity. Better security will give our people greater opportunity to work, invest and improve their lives”.
In a goodwill message, Gov Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who was represented by his Commissioner of Information, Declan Emelumba, urged the media to endeavour to remain objective and stay with the facts during elections.
.jpeg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment