CARSPO 2026: Police chiefs converge on Imo to shape 2027 election security

The Nigeria Police Force is set to bring its senior leadership together in Owerri, Imo State, for the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO 2026, with the 2027 general elections at the centre of discussions.

The three-day conference, scheduled for 21 to 23 September, is themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”

The Force said the retreat will bring together senior police officers, policing experts and other relevant participants to examine emerging electoral-security challenges and develop practical strategies for safe and peaceful elections.

Deliberations will focus on intelligence-led policing, police-community partnerships, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and other approaches to strengthening police operations before, during and after elections.

The conference will primarily involve officers of the rank of commissioner of police and above and is expected to produce strategies for protecting voters, electoral personnel, candidates, electoral materials and the general public.

From conference to election strategy

The significance of CARSPO 2026 will depend largely on whether discussions in Owerri can be translated into an operational framework for the 2027 elections.

Election security involves intelligence gathering, protecting campaign activities, candidates and supporters, moving electoral officials and materials, preventing violence, responding to emerging threats and maintaining public order. The police will also have to coordinate with the Independent National Electoral Commission and other security agencies while accounting for Nigeria’s varied security conditions.

The Force has already engaged INEC on election security. At a May meeting with the electoral commission, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu said the police had activated measures including intelligence mapping, planning for the movement of electoral materials and personnel, coordination with sister agencies and countering misinformation.

CARSPO provides an opportunity to consolidate those measures into a broader strategy ahead of the 2027 polls.

What Imo stands to gain

For Imo, which is hosting CARSPO for the third time, the conference also presents economic and institutional opportunities.

The arrival of senior police officers, government officials, security experts and other participants is expected to increase demand for accommodation, transportation, food and other services, potentially benefiting hotels, restaurants, transport operators and smaller businesses.

Shina Philips, managing director of Lenders Consult International, which is organising the conference in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force, said CARSPO should be viewed beyond the immediate gathering.

“CARSPO should be seen as a strategic investment in security cooperation, economic activity, infrastructure, tourism, institutional learning,” Mr Philips told PREMIUM TIMES.

He said the presence of participants could stimulate local economic activity while exposing visitors to Imo’s infrastructure, hospitality industry, tourism attractions and business environment.

“The conference gives Imo an opportunity to demonstrate that it can host events of national importance and connect security conversations with wider economic and institutional development,” Mr Philips said.

The scale of those benefits, however, will depend on participation and the extent to which local businesses capture the additional demand generated by the conference.

Police, NBA deepen institutional engagement

The conference also comes amid broader discussions on professionalism, accountability and the legal framework governing police operations.

During an engagement with the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Disu discussed concerns around the recording of police activities, including the use of concealed cameras, and said the Force had examined relevant legal provisions and authorities.

He also invited the NBA to participate in the police symposium in Owerri, where commissioners of police and other senior officers are expected to meet.

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“We have one this month in Owerri where are all the commissioners of police and all senior police officers will be there. We would like you to probably send somebody to represent you,” Mr Disu said to the NBA leadership.

Imo ready for CARSPO

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the state was ready to host the senior police officers and other invited dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu.

“I welcome our amiable President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other invited guests to Owerri.”

Beyond the conference, the gathering gives senior police commanders the opportunity to engage with security realities outside Abuja and exchange experiences on the varied operational challenges across the country.