INEC tasks police on protection of PWDs ahead of 2027 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tasked the Nigeria Police Force to deploy security strategies to protect persons with disabilities (PWDs) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The commission stated that intimidation and inaccessible polling units could prevent eligible Nigerians from exercising their franchise.

Speaking on Friday at an engagement organised by TAF Africa for police officers in Abuja, the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, directed that security arrangements must cover the entire electoral process. He identified voter registration, political rallies, polling, and the post-election period as areas requiring serious surveillance.

Amupitan revealed plans that prioritize vulnerable voters, adding that officers will be trained to recognise and assist voters based on their specific needs.

He emphasised that voters with hearing impairments might require visual communication, while those with visual impairments need verbal guidance.

“An election cannot be considered inclusive if persons with disabilities or other vulnerability groups face intimidation, insecurity, or other barriers to exercising their rights…Every eligible citizen has a right to vote. That right must be accessible to every Nigerian citizen, regardless of disability or displacement”, Amupitan.

He urged security personnel to ensure that while providing access and assistive materials, they do not compromise the privacy, independence, or freedom of choice of voters.

Also speaking at the event, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, urged the police to integrate disability-inclusive guidelines into their election security operations.

He observed that PWDs continue to face systemic barriers, including unsafe polling environments and inadequate emergency responses, which must be addressed before the next election cycle.

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