The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has procured 57,000 additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices as part of efforts to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Tuesday, October 27, during the commission’s interactive meeting with staff and readiness assessment for the 2027 elections in Gombe, organised for the North-East zone.
He said the commission was upgrading its technological infrastructure, including voter accreditation equipment and electronic result management platforms, to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the electoral process.
“We are hardening our Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to ensure rapid voter verification, extended battery life, and seamless offline-to-online data synchronisation. 57,000 new BVAS have been procured,” he said.
FIRST DAILY recalls that on Monday, October 5, Amupitan said the commission was stepping up its technological and security preparations, with plans to deploy 57,000 additional BVAS machines and artificial intelligence tools to protect the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Amupitan also identified the electronic verification platform, eEC8A, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as key components of the commission’s efforts to strengthen transparency in election result management.
However, he cautioned that deploying advanced technology would not, on its own, guarantee credible elections without discipline among electoral officials and strict adherence to established procedures.
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“A sophisticated technological device cannot by itself prevent human compromise. An independent electoral commission cannot by itself command public trust.
“The ultimate credibility of an election depends entirely on how faithfully, courageously, and impartially the law is applied by the human beings entrusted with its execution,” he said.
On election security, the INEC chairman said the commission was deepening cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services, Armed Forces and other relevant agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
He explained that INEC was moving away from security arrangements that respond mainly to incidents on election day towards an intelligence-driven approach aimed at detecting and preventing threats before voting begins.
Amupitan further revealed that joint operations led by the Department of State Services had uncovered an alleged plan by criminal kingpins to attack ad hoc electoral workers and members of the National Youth Service Corps.
According to him, security operatives had foiled the alleged plot, while the principal suspects were arrested and were undergoing prosecution.
“Anyone who attempts to threaten, intimidate, or harm our ad hoc staff, NYSC members, or permanent personnel will be hunted down and brought to justice under the full weight of the law,” he warned.
The INEC chairman also announced plans to hold a national election security conference in Abuja to finalise security measures for areas identified as vulnerable to electoral violence.
The measures, he said, form part of the commission’s preparations to improve election technology, protect personnel and strengthen the integrity of the 2027 general elections.