ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has promised that upcoming national elections will be secure despite ongoing jihadist insurgencies, banditry, and kidnapping across the country.
Speaking in an interview with AFP at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja on September 9, 2026, Olatunji Disu outlined measures being taken to prepare officers for the 2027 general election. Okay News reports thatOlatunji Disu stated officers are undergoing specialized training to ensure a safe voting environment when Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, seeks re-election.
The inspector-general expressed support for the federal government’s planned constitutional amendment to introduce state-managed police forces alongside the federal police structure. He confirmed that the federal police assisted in creating the framework for the proposed state police forces and stated that standardized national training and oversight measures will be implemented to prevent potential abuse by state governors.
To address personnel shortages across Nigeria’s estimated 240 million population, Olatunji Disu confirmed plans to increase the current strength of the federal police force from under 300,000 officers to approximately 350,000 through regular recruitment drives.
The force is also modernizing its operational technology by deploying a 25-person drone team currently undergoing specialized training and applying artificial intelligence to analyze crime patterns and track criminal activities.
Addressing security challenges and public trust issues surrounding the force, Olatunji Disu noted that police officers are working alongside the military and continue to suffer casualties in the line of duty daily.
