Tinubu warns police against political bias ahead of 2027 elections

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the Nigeria Police Force to uphold political neutrality and high professionalism before the 2027 general elections, warning against any perception of the Force serving political interests. The charge was delivered at the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on Tinubu's behalf.

The President emphasized that every Nigerian, irrespective of their political background, ethnicity, religion, social status, or location, must feel secure under the police's protection. He stressed the importance of the Force's neutrality for public confidence in the electoral process, highlighting that the police must be seen as a national institution safeguarding the constitutional order rather than an instrument of political agendas.

Tinubu outlined the requirements for the 2027 elections, which include meticulous planning, intelligence-driven operations, professionalism, impartiality, and effective coordination among security and electoral stakeholders. He warned that securing elections involves protecting citizens and electoral officials, maintaining peaceful campaigns, preventing violence and intimidation, and guaranteeing a fear-free environment for voter participation.

The President reiterated the Federal Government's dedication to police reforms, stressing the necessity of continued investment in personnel, training, technology, intelligence infrastructure, operational logistics, welfare, and institutional systems. He called for enhanced intelligence gathering, faster response times, deeper community engagement, technological adoption, and improved inter-agency cooperation to address sophisticated security threats.

Tinubu praised Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu and the Police Management Team for their efforts in repositioning the Force and tackling emerging security challenges. He acknowledged the officers dealing with kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, cultism, and other violent crimes, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Tinubu encouraged senior officers to leverage the retreat to develop a comprehensive roadmap for election security and operational readiness, aiming to build a modern, professional, technologically advanced, intelligence-driven, and citizen-focused police force beyond 2027. He stressed that the Federal Government's support for the police must be matched by the courage, integrity, discipline, and professionalism displayed by the officers in fulfilling their constitutional duties.