Military deployment shouldn’t be routine during elections — INEC chair

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The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said that the deployment of the Armed Forces during elections should remain exceptional rather than routine.

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He stressed that military involvement must only occur when prevailing security conditions require support for civil authorities.

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Amupitan, who was represented by the Director of Legal, Al-Hassan Umar, stated this on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at a seminar in Abuja.

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The INEC chairman said the Constitution clearly defines the roles of institutions involved in election management, noting that while the commission is responsible for conducting elections, the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security.

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He said, “As both a teacher and practitioner of the law, permit me to begin by reaffirming the constitutional framework governing election security in Nigeria.

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“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly delineates the responsibilities of institutions involved in the electoral process. INEC is constitutionally mandated to organise, undertake and supervise elections, while the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security under the framework of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

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“The role of the Armed Forces is exceptional rather than routine. Their deployment arises only where prevailing security conditions require military support in aid of the civil authorities and strictly in accordance with the Constitution and other applicable laws.”

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According to him, the Armed Forces play “a supportive rather than supervisory role, protective rather than political, and one firmly anchored in constitutional responsibility.”

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Amupitan explained that military responsibilities during elections could include securing strategic national assets, protecting critical infrastructure, supporting the movement of sensitive electoral materials where necessary and assisting civil authorities in situations requiring extraordinary security intervention.

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“This constitutional arrangement does not diminish the importance of the Armed Forces. Rather, it preserves the civilian character of elections while ensuring that security support remains available whenever exceptional circumstances demand it,” he said.

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He noted that maintaining the balance between civilian election management and military support was essential to preserving public confidence in both the electoral process and the Armed Forces.

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The INEC chairman also urged members of the Armed Forces to maintain absolute political neutrality whenever called upon to support election security operations.

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“The Armed Forces serve the Nigerian State and the Constitution—not any political party, candidate or individual,” he said.

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He added that every interaction between military personnel and citizens during elections should reflect “courtesy, discipline, restraint and professionalism,” saying such values would strengthen public confidence in both democratic institutions and the military.

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Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Amupitan warned that election security now extends beyond conventional violence to include insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation campaigns, as well as the misuse of emerging technologies.

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He said INEC was working through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to strengthen collaboration among security agencies in assessing risks, coordinating operational plans and promoting intelligence-driven responses to emerging threats.

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“Our collective objective is straightforward: to identify and neutralise security threats before they disrupt the electoral process, while ensuring that every eligible Nigerian can exercise the constitutional right to vote freely, safely and without intimidation,” he said.

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Amupitan reaffirmed that the commission remained committed to conducting transparent, inclusive and technologically driven elections, stressing that INEC had no candidate in any election.

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“Our allegiance is solely to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the freely expressed will of the Nigerian people,” he said.

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He added that the credibility of the 2027 general elections would depend not only on efficient electoral administration but also on the professionalism, neutrality and constitutional fidelity of every institution entrusted with responsibilities in the electoral process.

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Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, said the Armed Forces, in line with the 1999 Constitution, had consistently discharged their constitutional responsibility of providing aid to civil authorities whenever called upon while maintaining professionalism and operational readiness.

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Ogunleye stressed the need for military personnel to uphold strict neutrality, professionalism and respect for international human rights standards as political activities gather momentum ahead of the elections.

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“It is imperative that the Armed Forces of Nigeria personnel are constantly reminded of their roles to ensure the maintenance of strict neutrality, professionalism and adherence to International Human Rights provisions,” he said.

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He noted that previous elections had tested inter-agency coordination, civil-military relations and operational readiness, but said the Armed Forces had remained resolute in protecting Nigeria’s democratic process.

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According to him, troops played significant roles in the recent off-cycle and by-elections in Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo states, with their professional conduct contributing to peaceful and incident-free polls.

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Ogunleye added that the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would not only be measured by the absence of violence but also by strict adherence to the principles of impartiality, neutrality and respect for human rights.

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