INEC Calls for Disability-Inclusive Security Protocols
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen measures designed to protect persons with disabilities from intimidation, violence, and other barriers during the 2027 general elections.
Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, chairman of INEC, made this call on Friday at a high-level technical engagement focused on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.
Amupitan stated that electoral security arrangements must specifically address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, including inaccessible polling units, communication barriers, harassment, and threats of violence.
He emphasized that the credibility of elections depends on whether every eligible citizen can exercise their right to vote freely, safely, and without discrimination.
Legal Frameworks and International Obligations
The INEC chairman cited the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2026 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.
Amupitan noted that INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections provide for priority access, assistance, and appropriate voting materials for persons with disabilities.
He urged security personnel to maintain professionalism and impartiality while ensuring that any assistance provided to voters with disabilities does not compromise their dignity, privacy, independence, or freedom of choice.
Strategic Planning and Inter-Agency Cooperation
Amupitan called for disability-related concerns to be incorporated into security assessments, personnel training, deployment plans, and emergency-response procedures ahead of the elections. Preparations should include identifying polling units that are difficult to access, locations prone to congestion, potential security flashpoints, and communication barriers.
The chairman advocated for stronger cooperation among the commission, the police, and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). He stated that improved coordination would facilitate timely information-sharing, clarify agency responsibilities, and ensure prompt responses to emerging security threats.
Amupitan identified clear disability-inclusive security protocols, specialized training for police officers, accessible incident-reporting channels, and sustained engagement with organizations of persons with disabilities as necessary measures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Stakeholder Engagement
The technical engagement brought together security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other stakeholders to develop strategies for safer and more accessible elections.