The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the deployment of the Armed Forces during elections should remain an exception and not become a regular feature of Nigeria’s electoral process.
He explained that military involvement should only be considered when security conditions demand support for civil authorities.
Amupitan, represented by INEC’s Director of Legal Services, Al-Hassan Umar, made the remarks on Thursday, July 30, while delivering a keynote address at a seminar in Abuja.
According to him, the Constitution clearly assigns election management responsibilities to different institutions, with INEC responsible for conducting elections and the Nigeria Police Force serving as the lead agency for election security.
“As both a teacher and practitioner of the law, permit me to begin by reaffirming the constitutional framework governing election security in Nigeria.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly delineates the responsibilities of institutions involved in the electoral process. INEC is constitutionally mandated to organise, undertake and supervise elections, while the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security under the framework of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
“The role of the Armed Forces is exceptional rather than routine. Their deployment arises only where prevailing security conditions require military support in aid of the civil authorities and strictly in accordance with the Constitution and other applicable laws,” he said.
He described the military’s role during elections as supportive rather than supervisory, protective rather than political, and firmly rooted in constitutional responsibility.
Amupitan said the Armed Forces may be called upon to secure strategic national assets, protect critical infrastructure, assist in the movement of sensitive election materials where necessary and provide support to civil authorities during extraordinary security situations.
“This constitutional arrangement does not diminish the importance of the Armed Forces. Rather, it preserves the civilian character of elections while ensuring that security support remains available whenever exceptional circumstances demand it,” he said.
He noted that maintaining the distinction between civilian election management and military intervention is crucial to sustaining public confidence in both the electoral process and the Armed Forces.
The INEC chairman also urged military personnel to remain politically neutral whenever they are deployed for election duties.
“The Armed Forces serve the Nigerian State and the Constitution—not any political party, candidate or individual,” he said.
He added that every engagement between soldiers and members of the public during elections must reflect “courtesy, discipline, restraint and professionalism,” noting that such conduct would strengthen trust in democratic institutions and the military.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Amupitan warned that election security now extends beyond physical violence to include insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber threats, misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of emerging technologies.
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He said INEC is working through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to improve coordination among security agencies by strengthening risk assessments, operational planning and intelligence sharing.
“Our collective objective is straightforward: to identify and neutralise security threats before they disrupt the electoral process, while ensuring that every eligible Nigerian can exercise the constitutional right to vote freely, safely and without intimidation,” he said.
Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to credible elections, Amupitan stressed that INEC has no preferred candidate in any contest.
“Our allegiance is solely to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the freely expressed will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
He added that the credibility of the 2027 general elections would depend not only on INEC’s efficiency but also on the professionalism, neutrality and constitutional commitment of every institution involved in the electoral process.
Also speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, represented by the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, said the Armed Forces have consistently fulfilled their constitutional responsibility of supporting civil authorities while maintaining professionalism and operational readiness.
Ogunleye called on military personnel to remain impartial as political activities gather momentum ahead of the elections.
“It is imperative that the Armed Forces of Nigeria personnel are constantly reminded of their roles to ensure the maintenance of strict neutrality, professionalism and adherence to International Human Rights provisions,” he said.
He noted that previous elections had tested inter-agency cooperation, civil-military relations and operational preparedness but said the Armed Forces remained committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
According to him, troops played vital roles during recent off-cycle and by-elections in Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo states, where their conduct contributed to peaceful and orderly polls.
Ogunleye said the success of Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2027 would ultimately be judged not only by the absence of violence but also by the military’s commitment to neutrality, impartiality and respect for human rights.