Police officers receive five-day election security management training

The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, NPTF, has concluded a five-day Election Security Management Training Programme under the first phase of a nationwide initiative to train 10,000 police officers ahead of the forthcoming general elections in the country.

A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Force spokesperson, CSP Ani Ineid, explained that the first phase covers 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

It stated that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, at the commencement of the programme, “charged personnel to be deployed for election duties to remain neutral, professional and accountable, protecting voters, electoral officials and the electoral process without fear or favour.”

The training, it explained, covered election security management, electoral laws, strategic communication, intelligence-led operations, threat assessment and the statutory responsibilities of the Police, saying that it also emphasised legality, impartiality and inter-agency collaboration in preparation for electoral duties, including the 2027 general elections.

According to the statement, while delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, the course representative thanked the IGP and the NPTF for the opportunity and commended the facilitators for combining professional expertise with practical insights.

He conveyed the participants’ commitment to applying the knowledge gained in their respective Commands and formations, protecting voters’ rights and upholding the integrity of the electoral process and also undertook to share the lessons learnt with colleagues to promote uniform standards in election-security operations.

The statement added that the Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to sustained training, intelligence-led planning and inter-agency cooperation towards providing a safe and secure environment for Nigerians to exercise their electoral rights.