The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces during elections should not become a routine practice, insisting that military personnel should only be involved when security challenges exceed the capacity of civil authorities.
Speaking through INEC’s Director of Legal Services, Al-Hassan Umar, at a seminar held in Abuja on Thursday, Amupitan stressed that election security is primarily the responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force, while the military should only provide support under exceptional circumstances.
He explained that Nigeria’s constitutional and legal framework clearly outlines the responsibilities of institutions involved in the electoral process. According to him, INEC is constitutionally mandated to organise, conduct and supervise elections, while the police serve as the lead agency for maintaining law and order before, during and after the polls.
Amupitan noted that although military intervention may be necessary in areas facing severe security threats, such deployment should remain an exception rather than the norm to preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The seminar brought together key stakeholders to examine the role of security agencies in elections and discuss ways to strengthen collaboration while ensuring electoral processes remain credible, peaceful and in line with constitutional provisions.
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