Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a direct and unambiguous warning to the Nigeria Police Force, telling officers that they must never allow themselves to be used as instruments of political interest as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. The President delivered the warning on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, in an address delivered on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The President's message was clear: the police belong to the Nigerian people, not to any political party, candidate or faction.
"The police must be seen not as an instrument of any political interest, but as a national institution serving the Nigerian people and protecting the constitutional order," Tinubu said. "This is fundamental to public trust and to the credibility of our democracy." He stressed that every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, social status or geographical location, must feel protected by the police. The warning comes at a critical moment. Political activities are intensifying across the country ahead of the 2027 elections, and the police will be at the centre of securing the process. How they conduct themselves, Tinubu said, will determine whether Nigerians trust the outcome of the elections.
The conference, themed "Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections," brought together senior officers from across the country to develop strategies for policing the 2027 polls. Tinubu said the elections would require careful preparation, professionalism, impartiality, intelligence-led operations and close coordination among security and electoral stakeholders. He explained that securing the electoral process goes beyond protecting ballot papers and polling stations. "It is about protecting citizens; safeguarding electoral officials and materials; creating an environment in which political parties and candidates can campaign peacefully; preventing violence and intimidation; and ensuring that every Nigerian who chooses to participate in our democracy can do so without fear," he said.
The President reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to ongoing police reforms, stressing that meaningful reform requires sustained investment in personnel, training, technology, intelligence infrastructure, operational logistics, welfare and institutional systems. He urged the Force to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve response times, deepen community engagement, embrace technology and enhance inter-agency cooperation to meet increasingly sophisticated security threats. He commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the Police Management Team for their efforts to reposition the Force, and acknowledged the sacrifices of officers confronting kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes across the country. He also recognised those who had paid the ultimate price in the line of duty. But he reminded the Force that the security expectations of Nigerians remain high, urging officers to continue building public confidence through discipline, accountability, professionalism and respect for the rights and dignity of citizens.
Tinubu tasked senior police officers at the retreat to produce a practical and implementable roadmap that would strengthen election security, improve operational preparedness and deepen public confidence, while looking beyond 2027 towards building a modern, professional, technology-enabled, intelligence-driven and citizen-centred Police Force. He assured officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force that the Federal Government values their sacrifices and remains committed to supporting them, adding that such support must be matched by courage, integrity, discipline and professionalism in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
The President's warning comes amid growing concerns from opposition parties about the neutrality of the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the 2027 elections. In July 2026, the African Democratic Congress accused the Tinubu administration of eroding the neutrality of key democratic institutions, alleging that INEC and the Nigeria Police Force were being drawn into partisan politics. The party also expressed concern over the reported appearance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, at the launch of the pro-Tinubu City Boy Movement in Ikeja. The Nigeria Democratic Congress demanded the immediate suspension of the Lagos CP over his appearance at what it described as a partisan political event. The ADC also linked its concerns to President Tinubu's reported comment that "all is fair in war," saying the remark had heightened public anxiety about the 2027 elections.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has himself been vocal about the need for neutrality. In March 2026, he declared that the Nigeria Police Force would maintain strict neutrality and professionalism in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, warning of zero tolerance for partisanship within the ranks, misconduct, or abuse of authority. "There will be no exceptions and no excuses," he said at the time. At the ongoing retreat in Owerri, Disu unveiled a six-point security framework for policing the 2027 elections, built around early intelligence, specialised training, community partnership and strict police neutrality. He urged officers to approach the 2027 elections with the principles of being neutral, prepared and professional.
The President's warning is a necessary reminder that the credibility of the 2027 elections depends, to a significant extent, on the conduct of the police. The Force will deploy hundreds of thousands of officers across the country's 176,000 polling units. They will be responsible for protecting voters, electoral officials and materials, preventing violence and intimidation, and ensuring that the electoral process is conducted in an atmosphere of peace and order. If the police are perceived as partisans, the entire electoral process loses legitimacy. If they are seen as neutral and professional, public confidence in the outcome is strengthened. Tinubu's warning is a recognition of this reality. But words alone are not enough. The test will be in the conduct of the police on election day and in the weeks and months leading up to it. The President has drawn a line in the sand. It is now up to the Force to prove that it is willing to stay on the right side of that line.
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