Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Military High Command has reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to professionalism and strict adherence to constitutional provisions in support of the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during a one-day seminar organised by the Defence Headquarters Department of Operations, themed “The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the 2027 General Elections”.

The seminar brought together senior military officers, security agencies, election management officials, resource persons and other key stakeholders.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Training Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, the CDS described the seminar as timely, noting that the nation’s evolving security environment and the increasing tempo of political activities ahead of the 2027 General Elections underscore the need to continually educate and prepare Armed Forces personnel for election support operations.

Oluyede stressed that the constitutional responsibility of the Armed Forces remains to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, suppress insurrection and provide aid to civil authorities whenever called upon, adding that military personnel must continue to discharge these responsibilities with the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, impartiality and respect for human rights.

He warned that personnel deployed for election security duties under Operation “Safe Conduct 2027” must remain apolitical and strictly comply with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding military participation in election-related operations.

He noted that the Armed Forces had consistently demonstrated professionalism during previous electoral engagements, including recent off-cycle and by-elections conducted in Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo States.

Oluyede further stated that the success of Operation Safe Conduct 2027 would not only be measured by the absence of violence but also by strict adherence to constitutional principles, impartiality and respect for the rights and dignity of all Nigerians. He urged commanders, staff officers and participants to internalise the knowledge gained from the seminar in order to effectively operate in an increasingly complex security environment.

In a keynote address during the event, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan commended the Defence Headquarters for organising the seminar, describing it as a demonstration of institutional preparedness and strategic collaboration in support of Nigeria’s democracy.

Represented by the Director Legal Matters, Amupitan observed that credible elections can only thrive in a secure environment, stressing that national security and the sovereign will of the people are inseparable.

He reaffirmed that while INEC remains constitutionally responsible for organising elections and the Nigeria Police Force serves as the lead agency for election security, the Armed Forces perform an essential supporting role in aid of civil authorities whenever extraordinary security situations arise.

The INEC chairman highlighted the Armed Forces’ contributions in securing critical national infrastructure, protecting electoral assets, supporting the movement of sensitive election materials and providing logistical assistance, particularly through the Nigerian Air Force’s airlift capabilities to difficult and hard-to-reach locations.

He also identified emerging threats to election security, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation. Amupitan urged all security institutions to adopt intelligence-led operations, strengthen inter-agency cooperation and maintain proactive security strategies.