The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday rejected the routine deployment of the military during elections, stressing that troops of the Armed Forces should only be brought in when the situation warrants.
The electoral body specifically said the deployment of the military should arise only where prevailing security conditions require armed forces’ support in aid of the civil authorities.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who spoke through the Director of Legal at the Commission, Al-Hassan Umar stated this at Army War College, Abuja while delivering a keynote address at a seminar.
He pointed out that the Constitution clearly defines the roles of institutions involved in election management, arguing that the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security.
In his words, “As both a teacher and practitioner of the law, permit me to begin by reaffirming the constitutional framework governing election security in Nigeria.
“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.”
Amupitan maintained that the Armed Forces play “a supportive rather than supervisory role, protective rather than political, and one firmly anchored in constitutional responsibility.”
“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,” he said.
He pointed out 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.
“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.
The electoral umpire 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.
He also urged members of the Armed Forces to maintain absolute political neutrality whenever called upon to support election security operations.
“The Armed Forces serve the Nigerian State and the Constitution – not any political party, candidate or individual,” he said.
Amupitan 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.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the INEC chairman 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.
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.
“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.
Amupitan reaffirmed that the commission remained committed to conducting transparent, inclusive and technologically driven elections, stressing that INEC had no candidate in any election.
“Our allegiance is solely to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the freely expressed will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
The election chief added that the credibility of the 2027 polls 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.