Police ready for 2027 elections, says IG

File Photo: Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, says the Nigeria Police Force is ready for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Disu gave this assurance on Tuesday in Abuja when a delegation led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel paid him a courtesy visit.

The I-G told the delegation, led by Dr Leonardo Simao, that the Nigeria Police Force was adequately prepared for the elections.

“As I speak with you, we have embarked on the training of our officers and have updated their knowledge about the elections.

“We have taken note of peculiar issues and that will be relating to the 2027 general elections.

“In spite of the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is in charge of the internal security of the country and the elections, we know that we cannot do it alone.

“We can only succeed with the assistance of our sister security agencies, so we have been having collaborative meetings, and trainings together,” he said.

Disu said the force had held a series of training sessions with personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Department of State Services (DSS) in preparation for the election.

He said the training sessions also involved how to include everybody in the election process, especially persons living with disabilities.

According to him, officers had been trained to identify persons with disabilities and know what to do when they encountered them.

“So far so good, we are not afraid. We are confident that even if the elections start tomorrow, the Nigerian Police Force is ready to do what is expected of the force.

“We are ever ready to go, and we want to assure you that Nigerians will not be disappointed with the activities of the Nigerian Police Force in the election,” he said.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation said there was always competition among political entities, with emotions attached to it.

He said such emotions could lead to violence if not controlled, adding that violence had always been a concern in West Africa and Israel.

“It is important, therefore, that all measures are taken to ensure that elections continue to be a political competition and not a danger to peace and stability of the country.

“The police have a special responsibility in the preservation of peace and stability.

“Therefore, we’d like to ask you to share with us, how do you see the country being prepared for elections, and in particular, your role?,” he said.

(NAN)