2027: How we will curb election violence – INEC

INEC’s intelligence-led security framework is a preventive system for the 2027 General Election. It replaces a mainly reactive focus with planning that begins before ballot papers are moved. The goal is to protect voters, electoral workers, observers, technology and election materials from threats that could undermine voting.

The framework is called the “ICCES Tentacle.” It links the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security from national and state headquarters down to Local Government Areas and Registration Area Centres. Its three pillars are “Map and Mitigate,” “Ensure Safety” and “Guarantee Access.”

INEC will use Electoral Risk Management tools to identify flashpoints and local vulnerabilities early. Agencies will then plan protection for personnel, BVAS devices, server infrastructure and polling units. The Commission also plans a National Election Security Conference to finalise protocols for high-risk zones.

The scale is national. INEC says the “Guarantee Access” pillar must help make each of the 176,846 polling units a safe and peaceful place for democratic participation. The framework therefore covers every polling unit, including those in remote or historically insecure areas.

The national register contains more than 103 million voters. The article also identifies the people needing protection: voters, observers, ad-hoc staff, National Youth Service Corps members and INEC’s permanent personnel. It does not provide a nationwide headcount for these electoral workers.

The North-East alone has 13,965,475 registered voters, or 13.51 percent of the national register. INEC’s chairman described the 2027 election as a simultaneous undertaking across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. That scale makes early coordination important before personnel and materials reach polling locations.

The security partnership brings several agencies together through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, or ICCES. The article names the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services and the Armed Forces.

It also includes other paramilitary agencies. Their collaboration is being extended beyond national and state headquarters to Local Government Areas and Registration Area Centres. This wider structure is what INEC calls the “ICCES Tentacle,” linking agencies more directly with local election conditions.

The article gives one reported result of the partnership. Joint operations led by the DSS uncovered a covert plot targeting INEC ad-hoc staff and Youth Corps members. The threat was neutralised, its principal orchestrators were arrested, and they were undergoing prosecution. INEC says the restructured collaboration will support earlier intervention before election threats become violence.

“Map and Mitigate” changes security planning by identifying flashpoints, seasonal threats and local vulnerabilities early. INEC will use Electoral Risk Management tools so agencies can prepare before ballot papers arrive, rather than waiting for violence or intimidation.

“Ensure Safety” creates protection for electoral personnel, voters, technological assets and materials. That includes BVAS devices and server infrastructure. “Guarantee Access” focuses on making all 176,846 polling units safe, peaceful and dignified, including locations affected by remoteness or past security problems.

Together, the pillars connect prevention, protection and participation. Security coordination will reach Local Government Areas and Registration Area Centres through the “ICCES Tentacle.” A planned National Election Security Conference in Abuja will also finalise state-specific protocols for high-risk zones. The approach is intended to support voting from preparation through election day.

Violence could directly endanger voters, ad-hoc staff, NYSC members, permanent INEC personnel and observers. It could also threaten electoral materials and technology, including BVAS devices and server infrastructure. People may be unable to reach or use polling units safely.

The article reports a concrete warning. DSS-led operations uncovered a covert plot targeting ad-hoc staff and Youth Corps members. The intervention neutralised the threat, and the principal orchestrators were arrested and prosecuted. INEC’s chairman warned that anyone threatening or harming election personnel would be hunted down under the law.

The wider consequence concerns credibility. Amupitan said no election can be considered credible when voters, personnel or observers operate under physical threat or fear of violence. Preventing violence therefore protects both physical participation and confidence in the electoral process. INEC’s framework seeks to address risks before they disrupt voting.

Traditional reactive deployment responds after danger has emerged, often close to or on election day. INEC says its new framework is designed to act earlier. It shifts attention to threats that can be identified before ballot papers are moved and before personnel enter vulnerable areas.

The mechanism begins with Electoral Risk Management tools. They help identify security flashpoints, seasonal threat factors and local vulnerabilities. The “ICCES Tentacle” then carries coordination from national and state headquarters to Local Government Areas and Registration Area Centres. Agencies can plan proactive measures for specific locations.

This approach also protects more than the polling moment. It covers voters, personnel, BVAS devices, server infrastructure and election materials. INEC plans to finalise state-specific protocols for high-risk zones at a National Election Security Conference. The intended result is prevention, rather than waiting for violence to force a response.

An election depends on people being able to reach polling units, cast ballots, support the process and observe it without intimidation. If physical threats control participation, citizens’ democratic rights are restricted. Election workers may also be unable to deliver materials or operate required technology.

INEC’s “Ensure Safety” pillar protects voters, personnel, technological assets and infrastructure. Its “Guarantee Access” pillar aims to make all 176,846 polling units safe, peaceful and dignified. These measures address both the people taking part and the systems needed to conduct voting.

Amupitan described security as “the bedrock of electoral integrity.” He said an election cannot be credible when voters, personnel and observers operate under physical threat or fear of violence. The framework therefore treats security as more than a police presence. It is a condition for meaningful participation across Nigeria, including remote and historically challenged areas.