The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen measures to protect persons with disabilities and ensure their participation in the 2027 general elections.
The commission said electoral security plans must address challenges faced by voters with disabilities, including intimidation, inaccessible polling units, communication barriers and threats of violence.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the call on Friday during a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.
The meeting, held at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel, brought together security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop strategies for safer and more accessible elections.
Amupitan said the credibility of an election depended not only on the voting process but also on whether every eligible citizen could exercise their rights freely, safely and without discrimination.
He warned that persons with disabilities remained vulnerable to barriers that could prevent them from participating in elections, urging stronger safeguards against harassment, intimidation and insecurity.
The INEC chairman cited the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 as legal frameworks supporting inclusive electoral participation.
He also referenced Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, which provide for priority access, assistance and appropriate voting materials for persons with disabilities.
Amupitan urged the police to remain professional and impartial, ensuring that security operations did not compromise the dignity or independence of voters requiring assistance.
He stressed that any support provided to voters with disabilities must protect their dignity, privacy, independence and freedom of choice.
The chairman called for disability-related concerns to be incorporated into security assessments, personnel training, deployment plans and emergency-response procedures ahead of election day.
He said preparations should include identifying polling units that are difficult to access, congested locations, potential security flashpoints and communication barriers that could prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.
Amupitan also called for stronger cooperation between INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
According to him, the collaboration would improve information-sharing, clarify the responsibilities of participating agencies and ensure prompt responses to emerging security threats.
He identified clear disability-inclusive security protocols, specialised training for police officers, accessible incident-reporting channels and sustained engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities as key measures required before the 2027 general elections.