By Sunday Ameh
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is strengthening collaboration with security agencies ahead of the 2027 general elections to ensure a peaceful and coordinated electoral process.
The Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Feyijimi Saseyi Ibiyemi, disclosed this on Thursday during an interview.
Ibiyemi said election security was a collective responsibility involving INEC, the police, Department of State Services (DSS), military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other agencies.
She explained that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), chaired by INEC with the Commissioner of Police as co-chair, provides the platform for the agencies to review security activities, identify potential challenges and coordinate their response.
The REC said ICCES operates at federal, state and local government levels, allowing decisions and security information to be cascaded to electoral officers and personnel at the grassroots.
“It’s an interagency collaboration. Nobody is working alone,” she said.
Ibiyemi also appealed to security agencies to deploy personnel early on election day to protect ad-hoc officials and facilitate the movement of election materials from Registration Area Centres to polling units.
She said INEC had engaged the police on the need for early deployment, noting that delays could affect the timely distribution of election materials.
The REC said INEC’s relationship with the police, DSS and other security agencies in Ogun had remained cordial and expressed hope that the cooperation would continue during the 2027 elections.
Ibiyemi disclosed that political parties would be expected to sign peace accords ahead of the elections, with INEC, security agencies, religious leaders and other stakeholders involved.
She stressed that maintaining a peaceful electoral environment was not solely the responsibility of security agencies, saying political parties, candidates, voters and the media also have roles to play.
She added that INEC had worked with security agencies to identify electoral flashpoints during previous elections, allowing attention to be directed to areas where security concerns could arise.
The REC said regular meetings, information sharing and coordination across the three levels of government would remain central to INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
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