Military Reaffirms Neutrality Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Armed Forces of Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to neutrality, professionalism and respect for human rights during the 2027 general elections.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, gave the assurance on Thursday at a seminar in Abuja organised by the Defence Headquarters on the role of military personnel in supporting free, fair and credible elections.

He was represented by the Chief of Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye.

Oluyede said the seminar was aimed at reminding military personnel of their constitutional responsibilities and the need to remain apolitical while providing support to civil authorities when required.

He noted that troops must operate within established rules of engagement and international human rights standards throughout the election period.

According to him, lessons from recent off-cycle and by-elections in states including Ekiti, Kano, Kogi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo demonstrated the importance of professionalism and cooperation among security agencies in ensuring peaceful polls.

The Defence Chief urged commanders and officers to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, improve rapid response capabilities and safeguard citizens without compromising the military's neutrality.

Also speaking at the seminar, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by the Commission's Director of Legal Services, Al-Hassan Umar, said election security and electoral integrity are closely linked.

He stressed that while the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security, the military's role is limited to supporting civil authorities in line with the Constitution and relevant laws.

Umar identified key priorities for the 2027 elections, including joint planning among security agencies, election-specific training, intelligence sharing, adherence to established codes of conduct and unwavering professionalism.

He reaffirmed INEC's commitment to conducting credible and inclusive elections, emphasising that the Commission remains impartial and accountable only to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the will of the Nigerian people.