By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to professionalism and strict adherence to constitutional provisions in support of free, fair and credible elections during Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, stated this while delivering his remarks at a One-Day Seminar organised by the DHQ Department of Operations in Abuja on Thursday, 30 July 2026.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba.
The seminar, themed *The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the 2027 General Elections”, brought together senior military officers, security agencies, election management officials, resource persons and other key stakeholders.
According to the DDI, the CDS described the seminar as timely, noting that the nation’s evolving security environment and the increasing tempo of political activities ahead of the 2027 General Elections underscore the need to continually educate and prepare Armed Forces personnel for election support operations.
He stressed that the constitutional responsibility of the Armed Forces remains to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, suppress insurrection and provide aid to civil authorities whenever called upon.
“Military personnel must continue to discharge these responsibilities with the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, impartiality and respect for human rights,” he said.
He said the CDS emphasized that personnel deployed for election security duties under Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 must remain apolitical and strictly comply with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding military participation in election-related operations.
He noted that the Armed Forces had consistently demonstrated professionalism during previous electoral engagements, including recent off-cycle and by-elections conducted in Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo States.
The statement noted that General Oluyede further stated that the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would not only be measured by the absence of violence but also by strict adherence to constitutional principles, impartiality and respect for the rights and dignity of all Nigerians.
He therefore urged commanders, staff officers and participants to internalise the knowledge gained from the seminar in order to effectively operate in an increasingly complex security environment.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, represented by the Director of Legal Matters, commended the Defence Headquarters for organising the seminar, describing it as a demonstration of institutional preparedness and strategic collaboration in support of Nigeria’s democracy.
Professor Amupitan observed that credible elections can only thrive in a secure environment, stressing that national security and the sovereign will of the people are inseparable.
He reaffirmed that while INEC remains constitutionally responsible for organising elections and the Nigeria Police Force serves as the lead agency for election security, the Armed Forces perform an essential supporting role in aid of civil authorities whenever extraordinary security situations arise.
The INEC Chairman highlighted the Armed Forces’ contributions in securing critical national infrastructure, protecting electoral assets, supporting the movement of sensitive election materials and providing logistical assistance, particularly through the Nigerian Air Force airlift capabilities to difficult and hard-to-reach locations.
He also identified emerging threats to election security, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation.
He urged all security institutions to adopt intelligence-led operations, strengthen inter-agency cooperation and maintain proactive security strategies.
The seminar reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Defence Headquarters, INEC and other stakeholders to strengthening collaboration and ensuring a secure environment that guarantees peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent elections in 2027.
