President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Police Force to maintain strict impartiality and professionalism ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that the institution must never be perceived as serving any political interest.
Speaking Monday at the opening of the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, Tinubu said every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or geography, must feel protected by the police.
The President was represent d at the event by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
“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,
He added that such neutrality was “fundamental to public trust and to the credibility of our democracy.”
Under the conference theme, “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” the president said the 2027 polls would demand careful preparation, intelligence-led operations and close coordination among security and electoral stakeholders.
He assured officers that the federal government would provide the necessary support for the force to discharge its responsibilities effectively.
The President emphasized that securing elections goes beyond guarding ballot papers and polling stations.
It also entails protecting citizens, electoral officials and materials; ensuring peaceful campaigns; preventing violence and intimidation; and guaranteeing that Nigerians can participate in the democratic process without fear.
The President reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ongoing police reforms, stressing that meaningful change 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.
Tinubu commended the Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu and the police management team for efforts to reposition the force, while acknowledging the sacrifices of officers confronting kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes, including those who have died in the line of duty.
The President reminded the force that public security expectations remain high and urged officers to continue building confidence through discipline, accountability, professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights and dignity.
He tasked senior officers at the retreat to produce a practical, implementable roadmap that would strengthen election security, improve operational preparedness and deepen public confidence, while looking beyond 2027 toward building a modern, technology-enabled, intelligence-driven and citizen-centered police force.
The President 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.
