The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has cautioned against the routine deployment of the Armed Forces for election duties, saying military involvement should only happen in exceptional security situations.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, stated this in Abuja during a seminar, where he was represented by the commission’s Director of Legal, Al-Hassan Umar.
Amupitan said Nigeria’s electoral framework clearly assigns responsibilities to institutions involved in election management, with INEC responsible for conducting elections and the Nigeria Police Force serving as the lead agency for election security.
He explained that the military’s role is limited to supporting civil authorities when security conditions demand extraordinary intervention and must always be guided by the Constitution and relevant laws.
According to him, the Armed Forces are expected to provide support by securing strategic assets, protecting critical infrastructure, assisting with the movement of sensitive electoral materials and responding to situations beyond the capacity of civilian security agencies.
The INEC chairman stressed that such an arrangement preserves the civilian nature of elections while ensuring that security support remains available when necessary. He urged military personnel deployed during elections to maintain political neutrality, reminding them that their loyalty is to the Nigerian Constitution and the state, not political parties or candidates.
Amupitan also warned that election security ahead of the 2027 general elections goes beyond traditional threats, highlighting challenges such as insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, political violence, cyber interference, misinformation and the misuse of emerging technologies.
He said INEC was strengthening coordination with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to improve intelligence gathering, risk assessment and response planning.
The INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and technology-driven elections, insisting that the commission remains independent and has no preferred candidate.
Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, said the Armed Forces would continue to provide support to civil authorities when required while maintaining professionalism and operational readiness.
Ogunleye emphasised the importance of neutrality, discipline and respect for human rights among military personnel as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections. He noted that troops had supported recent off-cycle and by-elections in states including Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo, adding that their conduct contributed to peaceful electoral exercises.
He said the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would be measured not only by the prevention of violence but also by the commitment of security personnel to impartiality, neutrality and respect for citizens’ rights.
