2027: Police vow security for voters, urge responsible reporting

Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu. Photo: NPF

The Nigeria Police Force has pledged to protect lives and property and provide a secure environment for Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights during the 2027 general elections.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, stated this at a one-day workshop organised by the FCT Nigerian Union of Journalists on Thursday.

Represented by the Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, Disu said, “The police have the responsibility to protect lives and property, maintain law and order, and provide a secure environment for Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights. We are assuring the citizens this would be done.”

He described the media as one of the police’s important partners in election security, noting that journalists had a significant role in shaping how Nigerians understood developments during the electoral process.

“The media, on the other hand, has the power to shape how Nigerians understand what is happening around them. That power must be exercised with responsibility,” the IG said.

Disu urged journalists to verify information before publication, particularly sensitive security reports that could create fear or trigger confrontation.

“Do not allow the pressure to be first to publish to become more important than the duty to be right,” he said.

He noted that false information could spread rapidly through social media, citing recycled videos, fabricated statements and artificial intelligence-generated audio, photographs and videos as some of the challenges facing election reporting.

“A verified news report can calm an anxious community. A responsible journalist can prevent a rumour from becoming violence,” he said.

The IG also called for stronger communication between security agencies and journalists ahead of the elections.

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He said, “Journalists should know where to obtain authoritative information, how to verify security alerts and whom to contact when conflicting reports emerge.”

Disu added that the police would remain accessible, transparent and responsive to legitimate media inquiries.

“The Nigeria Police Force needs the media. The media needs credible security information. Most importantly, Nigeria needs both institutions to work responsibly in the public interest,” he said.

He urged journalists to report responsibly before, during and after the elections, saying the period after the polls could be as sensitive as Election Day.

“The 2027 elections will come and go. Candidates will campaign. Nigerians will vote. Results will be announced.

“But Nigeria will remain. Our communities will remain. And we will continue to live together after the headlines have disappeared,” he said.

The NUJ FCT chairperson, Grace Ike, urged journalists to protect confidential sources, victims and vulnerable witnesses, while avoiding publication of sensitive details that could compromise security operations or endanger lives.

Ike also called on security agencies to engage transparently with journalists and respect press freedom, while urging media organisations to strengthen fact-checking systems and provide continuous training for reporters.

She said journalists should balance the public’s right to know with the responsibility to avoid harm, stressing that responsible reporting could help protect communities and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.