Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has directed operational commanders across the state to remain neutral, professional and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that any officer found engaging in partisan politics or compromising the integrity of the electoral process would face strict disciplinary action.
Bakori gave the directive on Monday, September 28, 2026, during a strategic lecture on election security management held at the Police Officers' Mess in Bompai, Kano. The meeting was attended by area commanders, divisional police officers, heads of tactical and operational units, and other senior officers. According to a statement issued by the command's spokesman, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the lecture was aimed at preparing senior officers for election security duties as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 polls.
"The Nigeria Police Force has a constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties and actors," Bakori said. "Any officer found engaging in partisan politics or compromising the integrity of the electoral process will face strict disciplinary action." He also charged the commanders to respect human rights and the rule of law while discharging their responsibilities during the electioneering period, and urged them to strengthen community partnerships and intelligence-led policing. "Public trust is the cornerstone of effective policing. We must remain professional, respect human rights and the rule of law, and work selflessly to earn the confidence of the people," he said. The Commissioner of Police further called on police personnel to work selflessly and uphold public confidence in the Force, adding that the command was committed to providing security before, during and after the 2027 general elections in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.
The lecture comes after the Kano Police Command recently coordinated security arrangements for the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency by-election, where the command reported peaceful conduct and urged political actors to comply with electoral guidelines. The command also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, warning that acts capable of disrupting public peace would not be tolerated. Residents were urged to support security agencies with credible information.
The directive is significant because Bakori has himself been at the centre of accusations of partisanship. In October 2025, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State appealed to President Bola Tinubu to redeploy Bakori, accusing him of consistently aligning with political interests opposed to the will of the people of Kano. The governor described the CP as a "political police officer" who had abandoned professionalism and was actively undermining democracy. The accusations followed the withdrawal of police personnel from the 65th Independence Day parade held at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. The Kano State Government passed a vote of no confidence on the commissioner, and two civil society organisations expressed concern over his alleged partisanship. Bakori denied the allegations, and the Police Command described the governor's comments as unfortunate. The dispute was widely reported as a reflection of the political tensions in Kano between the governor, who is a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, and the police leadership.
The Kano Police Command has consistently emphasised its commitment to neutrality in the run-up to the 2027 elections. In August 2026, Bakori hosted political party leaders and contestants at a stakeholders' engagement on peaceful democratic participation at the Sa'adu Zungur Auditorium in Kano, where he said election security was a constitutional responsibility of the police and disclosed that personnel were undergoing training and retraining on election security, rules of engagement and respect for human rights. He also said the command had developed an intelligence-driven deployment plan covering polling units, collation centres, INEC facilities and other vulnerable locations, with Quick Response Teams to be deployed across the state's 44 local government areas. "We will secure the process. You secure the peace. Together, we will deliver credible elections in Kano," he said at the time. The command has also warned politicians against violence, hate speech, misinformation and other acts capable of undermining peace.
The political context of Bakori's directive is unmistakable. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. Kano, Nigeria's most populous state and a key electoral battleground in the North-West, will be closely watched. President Bola Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. The conduct of security personnel in Kano and across the country will be a critical factor in determining whether the elections are accepted as credible, particularly given the accusations of partisanship that have been levelled against police leadership in several states.
For the officers gathered at the Police Officers' Mess in Bompai, the message from the Commissioner of Police was unambiguous. The police have a constitutional duty to ensure a level playing field, and any deviation from that duty will attract consequences. Whether the directive translates into impartial conduct on the ground will be tested in the months ahead as campaigns intensify, political tensions rise, and the pressure on security agencies to take sides grows. As Bakori put it, public trust is the cornerstone of effective policing, and earning that trust requires officers to remain professional, respect human rights and work selflessly to serve the people.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments