The Nigeria military has reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, constitutional responsibility and political neutrality in supporting the conduct of free, fair and credible elections during the 2027 General Elections.
The assurance was given by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, at 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 to deliberate on the military’s role in election security.
Representing the CDS, Rear Admiral Ogunleye described the seminar as timely, noting that increasing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections and Nigeria’s evolving security landscape made it imperative to continually prepare military personnel for election support operations.
He stressed that the constitutional role of the Armed Forces remains the defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity, suppression of insurrection and provision of aid to civil authorities whenever required, adding that personnel must carry out these responsibilities with professionalism, discipline, impartiality and respect for human rights.
The CDS directed that all personnel deployed under Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 must remain apolitical and strictly adhere to 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 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 Nigerians.
General Oluyede urged commanders, staff officers and participants to internalise the lessons from the seminar to enhance operational effectiveness in an increasingly complex security environment.
In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, represented by the Commission’s 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.
He emphasised that credible elections can only thrive in a secure environment, noting that national security and the sovereign will of the people are inseparable.
Professor Amupitan reiterated that while INEC remains constitutionally responsible for conducting elections and the Nigeria Police Force serves as the lead agency for election security, the Nigeria military provides critical support to civil authorities during extraordinary security situations.
He highlighted the military’s role in securing critical national infrastructure, protecting electoral assets, supporting the movement of sensitive election materials and providing logistics, particularly through the Nigerian Air Force’s airlift capabilities to hard-to-reach locations.
The INEC Chairman also identified emerging threats to election security, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation, urging security agencies to adopt intelligence-led operations, strengthen inter-agency collaboration and sustain proactive security measures.
The seminar concluded with participants reaffirming the commitment of the Defence Headquarters, INEC and other stakeholders to deepen collaboration towards ensuring peaceful, secure, inclusive and transparent elections in 2027.
