By Odita Sunday
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has begun preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections, reaffirming that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) will remain professional, apolitical and guided by constitutional provisions in supporting the conduct of free, fair and credible polls.
The commitment was reiterated by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General OO Oluyede, represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, during a one-day seminar organised by the Defence Headquarters Department of Operations in Abuja on Thursday. The seminar, themed “The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the 2027 General Elections,” brought together senior military officers, security agencies, election management officials, resource persons and other key stakeholders.
General Oluyede described the seminar as timely, noting that the nation’s evolving security environment and the increasing political activities ahead of the 2027 General Elections make it imperative to continually prepare Armed Forces personnel for election support operations.
He reiterated that the constitutional responsibility of the Armed Forces remains the defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity, suppression of insurrection and provision of aid to civil authorities whenever required.
He stressed that military personnel must discharge these responsibilities with the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, impartiality and respect for human rights.
The CDS further directed that personnel deployed for election security duties under Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 must remain politically neutral and strictly comply with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding military participation in election-related operations.
He noted that the Armed Forces had consistently demonstrated professionalism during previous electoral engagements, including recent off-cycle and by-elections in Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo States.
According to him, the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would not only be measured by the absence of violence but also by strict adherence to constitutional principles, impartiality and respect for the rights and dignity of all Nigerians.
He therefore urged commanders, staff officers and participants to internalise the lessons from the seminar to enhance operational effectiveness in an increasingly complex security environment.
In the keynote address, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, represented by the Director of Legal Matters, commended the Defence Headquarters for organising the seminar, describing it as a demonstration of institutional preparedness and strategic collaboration in support of Nigeria’s democracy.
Professor Amupitan observed that credible elections can only thrive in a secure environment, stressing that national security and the sovereign will of the people are inseparable.
While reaffirming that INEC is constitutionally responsible for conducting elections and the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security, he said the Armed Forces play a vital supporting role in aid of civil authorities whenever extraordinary security situations arise.
He highlighted the military’s contributions to securing critical national infrastructure, protecting electoral assets, facilitating the movement of sensitive election materials and providing logistical support, particularly through the Nigerian Air Force’s airlift capabilities to difficult and hard-to-reach locations.
The INEC Chairman also identified insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation as emerging threats to election security. He urged all security institutions to adopt intelligence-led operations, strengthen inter-agency collaboration and sustain proactive security strategies.
The seminar ended with participants reaffirming the shared commitment of the Defence Headquarters, the Independent National Electoral Commission and other stakeholders to deepen collaboration and guarantee a secure environment for peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent elections in 2027.
The statement was signed by Major General Samaila Uba, Director, Defence Information.
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