The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to professionalism, constitutional compliance and impartiality in supporting the conduct of the 2027 general elections. The position was made known in a statement on Friday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba,……
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to professionalism, constitutional compliance and impartiality in supporting the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
The position was made known in a statement on Friday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, following a one-day seminar organised by the Defence Headquarters Department of Operations in Abuja on Thursday.
The seminar, themed “The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the 2027 General Elections,” brought together senior military officers, officials of security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), resource persons and other stakeholders to discuss the military’s role in election security.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, described the seminar as timely in view of the country’s evolving security landscape and the build-up to the 2027 elections.
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He said the Armed Forces remained constitutionally mandated to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity, suppress insurrection and assist civil authorities when required, stressing that personnel must perform such duties with professionalism and respect for democratic principles.
According to him, “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,” adding that troops must continue to discharge their responsibilities with “the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, impartiality and respect for human rights.”
Oluyede directed personnel expected to participate in election security operations under Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 to remain politically neutral and comply strictly with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding military involvement in elections.
He noted that the Armed Forces had maintained professionalism during previous off-cycle and by-elections in states including Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo.
The CDS further said “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.”
In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, represented by the commission’s Director of Legal Matters, commended the Defence Headquarters for organising the seminar.
He described the initiative as evidence of institutional preparedness and collaboration in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
Amupitan said “credible elections can only thrive in a secure environment,” stressing that “national security and the sovereign will of the people are inseparable.”
He reiterated that while INEC is constitutionally responsible for conducting elections and the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security, the Armed Forces play a critical supporting role whenever extraordinary security situations arise.
The INEC chairman also highlighted the military’s contributions to election logistics, including the protection of electoral assets, movement of sensitive materials and the Nigerian Air Force’s role in transporting election materials to difficult-to-reach areas.
He, however, warned of emerging threats to the electoral process, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation, urging security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and proactive security measures.
According to the statement, the seminar ended with participants reaffirming the commitment of the Defence Headquarters, INEC and other stakeholders to work together towards ensuring peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive elections in 2027.
