The Defence Headquarters has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to remain professional, impartial and apolitical as the country prepares for the 2027 General Elections.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, stated this at a one-day seminar in Abuja on the role of the military in the 2027 elections.
The CDS said the seminar was timely, given the increasing political activities and evolving security threats ahead of the polls. He stressed that military personnel deployed for election duties must operate strictly within the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and established Rules of Engagement.
He said the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would not be measured only by the absence of violence, but also by the military’s respect for human rights, impartiality and the dignity of every Nigerian.
Representing the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, the commission’s Director of Legal Matters commended the Defence Headquarters for strengthening collaboration ahead of the elections, stressing that credible polls can only take place in a secure environment.
He noted that while INEC has the constitutional responsibility to conduct elections and the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security, the Armed Forces provide critical support when security situations require their intervention.
The INEC Chairman also identified insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, political violence, cyber threats, misinformation and disinformation as emerging risks to election security, calling for intelligence-led operations and stronger inter-agency cooperation.
The seminar, attended by senior military officers, security agencies, election officials and other stakeholders, ended with a renewed commitment to ensuring a peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent 2027 General Election.