Disu receives UNOWAS delegation, reaffirms commitment to peaceful elections

By Christopher Oji

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji  Disu, yesterday received a delegation led by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The meeting focused on the Nigeria Police Force’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections and measures to ensure a peaceful, secure and inclusive electoral process.

Speaking during the engagement, Simão said the visit provided an opportunity to discuss election-security preparations against the backdrop of prevailing security challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.

He stressed the need to prevent political competition from degenerating into violence and sustain public confidence in the impartiality of the Police.

The UNOWAS representative also sought updates on lessons learnt from previous elections and arrangements for protecting vulnerable voters, including internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Responding, IGP Disu said lessons from previous elections, including off-cycle polls, were informing the Force’s operational planning and training programmes.

He highlighted ongoing training for police personnel and officers of other security agencies to strengthen inter-agency coordination, improve election-security management and address the security needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

The IGP further disclosed that threat assessments were being conducted across Police formations to guide deployments and targeted security operations.

He said the Force was collaborating with other security agencies to tackle threats in vulnerable areas, with particular attention to ensuring that internally displaced persons could exercise their electoral rights in a safe environment.

Disu also highlighted the Police’s collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the timely and secure distribution of electoral materials.

He said the engagement with INEC, alongside joint training and improved coordination among security agencies, formed part of broader efforts to strengthen preparedness and ensure effective discharge of election-security responsibilities.

The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to professional and impartial policing, sustained inter-agency cooperation and constructive engagement with stakeholders to ensure a safe environment for Nigerians to exercise their electoral rights.