The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 2 Command, Olohundare Jimoh, has emphasised that professionalism, neutrality and collaboration among security agencies would ensure credible and safe 2027 general elections.

Mr Jimoh said this at a one-day training programme organised by the Zone 2 police command, in collaboration with the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research (IPSPR), at the command headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, on Monday.

The training has the theme “Professionalism, Neutrality and Collaboration: Strengthening Election Security for Safe and Credible Elections”.

Mr Jimoh said professionalism should go beyond competence in discharging duties, stressing that security personnel must respect the rights and dignity of citizens.

He urged officers and personnel of other security and safety agencies to remain apolitical and fair in enforcing their responsibilities throughout the electoral process.

According to him, effective collaboration among security agencies is critical to ensuring adequate security during the three key phases of the election — the pre-election period, campaigns and election day.

The AIG assured residents of Lagos and Ogun states that the police and other security agencies within Zone 2 were prepared to provide a secure environment for citizens to participate actively in the electoral activities.

He called on political parties and their supporters to abide by the Electoral Act and avoid actions that could disrupt the electoral process.

Mr Jimoh also appealed to members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in public safety.

He also urged the media to support the electoral process through accurate and responsible reporting, warning against misinformation and publications that could cause tension or violence.

The AIG reiterated the commitment of the police and other security agencies to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure the 2027 general elections are conducted in a peaceful, safe, and secure environment.

In his goodwill message, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, Ayobami Salami, also urged security personnel to uphold professionalism and respect citizens’ rights while discharging their duties during elections.

He said officers must be mindful of their conduct during the pre-election period, on election day and after the elections.

Mr Salami said security personnel must understand the importance of their roles in protecting the electoral process, while ensuring that citizens’ fundamental rights were not violated.

According to him, training programmes of this nature should not be limited to senior officers but should be cascaded to personnel at various levels to ensure a common understanding of professional conduct.

He commended the Zone 2 police command and IPSPR for organising the training, saying effective collaboration among security agencies and other stakeholders was essential to achieving peaceful and credible elections.

He urged participants to apply the lessons from the training in their duties and help build public confidence in the electoral process.

Earlier in his welcome address, IPSPR Director-General Charles Omole called for professionalism, integrity, accountability and collaboration to strengthen policing and security institutions in Africa.

Mr Omole said IPSPR was committed to strengthening policing, public safety, security governance and institutional resilience through research, policy analysis, professional training and strategic advisory services.

According to him, the institute works with security agencies, governments, legislatures, civil society organisations and development partners to translate research into practical policies and institutional reforms.

He said IPSPR’s areas of focus include: security sector reform, leadership and management, election security, community policing, intelligence-led policing, public order management and security governance.

Mr Omole said the institute’s training programmes were designed to equip security professionals with contemporary knowledge and practical tools to tackle emerging security challenges.

He stressed that IPSPR remained committed to professionalism, neutrality, accountability, innovation and collaboration to strengthen institutional capacity, improve professional standards and build public confidence in security institutions.

The Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal(AVM) Abubakar Sule, urged security personnel to remain neutral, professional and impartial during the 2027 general elections.

Mr Sule, in a goodwill message on behalf of the armed forces commanders, stressed that their loyalty must be to the constitution, the Nigerian state and the people.

He said election security required close collaboration, coordination, information sharing and mutual respect among security and law-enforcement agencies.

Mr Sule urged security agencies to operate as partners and ensure that their responses to security challenges were coordinated, proportionate and guided by law.

He assured that the armed forces remained committed to supporting the democratic process and urged participants to apply the training to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and ensure peaceful, safe and credible elections.

(NAN)