The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the routine deployment of troops of the armed forces during elections, saying the force should remain exceptional.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, speaking through the Director of Legal at the Commission, Al-Hassan Umar, stated this at the Army War College in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at a seminar.
Amupitan argued that the Constitution clearly defines the roles of institutions involved in election management, with the Nigeria Police Force remaining the lead agency for election security. He said military deployment should arise only where prevailing security conditions require armed forces’ support in aid of civil authorities.
Key Points:
The police, not the military, should be the lead agency for election security.
Military deployment should be exceptional, not routine, during elections.
INEC is constitutionally mandated to organise and supervise elections independently.
The clarification may reduce concerns over military involvement in electoral processes.
The stance reinforces civilian authority in election management.
INEC’s position clarifies the military’s role in elections and could shape security planning for the 2027 general elections.
