INEC Security Preparedness: INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan urges agencies to strengthen planning, intelligence, and deployment ahead of upcoming elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on security agencies to intensify planning, deployment, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency coordination ahead of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections and by-elections in Rivers and Kano States scheduled for February 21, 2026.
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INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan issued the call on Friday during the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, emphasising the importance of early and sustained security engagement for credible and peaceful elections.
“As campaigns draw to a close on February 19, we expect security agencies to strictly enforce the law, prevent the use of thugs, curb vote-buying, and ensure the safety of voters and election personnel,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman cited the recent Anambra off-cycle governorship election as an example of effective security coordination, where elections were conducted peacefully and a winner declared on the first ballot despite previous challenges in the state.
Amupitan stressed that conducting multiple elections simultaneously across different states requires heightened vigilance, adequate manpower deployment, and seamless inter-agency cooperation.
He also highlighted the upcoming Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections and the 2027 general elections, warning that electoral credibility depends on citizens feeling safe to participate.
“INEC will soon embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise to further sanitise the national register ahead of 2027. This, alongside ongoing continuous voter registration, will require security support to protect facilities, personnel, and citizens, especially in vulnerable areas,” Amupitan added.
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He concluded by urging security agencies to remain vigilant, proactive, and united in purpose throughout this demanding electoral year.
