Yomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police on Election Planning says the Nigerian Police Force is taking all necessary steps to guarantee safety and security during the 2027 elections.
Speaking In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Shogunle detailed the force’s preparations, highlighting past successes and ongoing strategies to address challenges such as deployment, logistics, and communication, emphasising that while fears of violence exist, much of it is more of a perception than reality.
“The Nigerian police force is putting all his strength out to provide adequate security during the election. A lot is being done regarding training of police officers to be able to provide the required security needed for the election. A lot is being done as well as acquiring the logistics needed for the provision of security during this election.”
Shogunle pointed to the November 2022 Anambra governorship election as a model for future polls. “If you look at the couple of elections we’ve had in the recent times, this shows, for instance, the governorship election in Anambra in November last year, this has been adjourned as one of the most peaceful elections so far in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, we recorded zero violence during this election. And this happened because of the different measures put in place to ensure that we arrive at this intentional outcome.”
He stressed that the police aim to replicate the same level of safety in upcoming elections. “And we intend to replicate the same feat next month during the area council elections in federal capital territory. We also intend to do the same thing during the upcoming governorship election in the Kogi states come June and also in August for the governorship election in Oshun state. So the Nigerian police force will continue to do all that is needed to ensure that there is violent free election.”
Addressing concerns about voter turnout and insecurity, Shogunle dismissed claims linking security fears to low participation. “There is nothing in the reports that is linking voter poverty with insecurity. It shows notice of if it happens that we have even more people who are non-registered voters in the polling units observing in court than the actual number of people who are registered who are out to vote.”
He further explained that election security is structured in three phases. “And having said that, the Nigerian police force, we know the duties or responsibilities assigned to us regarding the election. And the election has been divided into three phases. We have the pre-election, which covers the campaign period. Then we have the actual election, which also covers the collation. Then we have the post-election. That is when the results have been announced. So for these three phases, we have different security architectures designed for this. And again, there is what we call the threat analysis. Before the election, we do a threat analysis, community by community, local government by local government, state by state. This threat analysis helps us to understand what would most likely happen. And this allows us to go before these people who are planning to do certain things that might not make the election to go on peacefully.”
On the prosecution of electoral offenders, Shogunle cited concrete figures, saying, “In Kano State, for instance, which even your media outlet reported, over 300 electoral violators were prosecuted in Kano, which was reported by your media station. And in Kogi State, for instance, some people were, as well, prosecuted and even convicted. The particular issue you mentioned in Lagos. It is even reported by, It has been reported by your channels, by your media, as well. So, prosecution of electoral violators are ongoing. In Lagos, over 17 people were arrested and the process was taken out to court. The records are there. It’s also given, It’s not public.”
Shogunle also acknowledged operational challenges faced by the force, including deployment into difficult terrains such as riverine and mountainous areas. “During meetings at INEC, that’s the inter-agency consultative committee on election, part of the challenges or part of what we see as challenges has to do with deployment into difficult terrains, you know, terrains that in most cases are not easy to enter into. Then another thing, again, is communication. Just as you know, the Nigerian police force, we rely on available public communications, which everybody also relies on. And in the days of election, this communication network seems to be overwhelmed, you know… Those are the two major challenges I’ve mentioned to you. But irrespective of that, we have also devised a medium to overcome these challenges, like ensuring adequate deployment of our officers, also the pre-election training and providing adequate security during elections.”
Nevertheless, he emphasised that irrespective of that, we have also devised a medium to overcome these challenges. “But irrespective of that, we have also devised a medium to overcome these challenges, like ensuring adequate deployment of our officers, also the pre-election training and providing adequate security during elections.”
Concluding on voter confidence, he said. “Just as I said, let’s take it from the just-concluded Anambra state governorship election. A lot was done regarding planning and execution of the operational order for that election, and Anambra election has been adjourned to be one of the freest and most violent free election in the history of democracy in Nigeria. And we intend to replicate the same feat next month during the area council elections in federal capital territory. We also intend to do the same thing during the upcoming governorship election in the Kogi states come June and also in August for the governorship election in Oshun state. So the Nigerian police force will continue to do all that is needed to ensure that there is violent free election.”
Shogunle added that increasing voter turnout is not only a matter of safety. “Let me also add that having more people to come out to vote is not just issue of thinking that they are not safe. The political parties also need to go out to canvas and get their supporters to come out to vote for them.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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