The Lagos State Police Command says it has identified areas vulnerable to electoral violence through crime mapping and intelligence gathering as it steps up preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Tijani Fatai, stated this at a stakeholders’ security engagement in Ikeja on Thursday, October 15, warning political parties and their supporters against thuggery, voter intimidation, hate speech and the destruction of campaign materials.
Fatai said the command would provide security for campaigns, rallies, candidates, electoral officials, election materials and polling units, urging political parties to notify the police ahead of their activities to enable adequate security arrangements and prevent clashes.
He warned against recruiting young people for political violence, saying anyone found engaging in unlawful activities would be investigated and prosecuted regardless of political affiliation or status.
Acoording to Fatai, election security committees are already in place and dedicated contact numbers for reporting security incidents would be made available.
The CP urged residents to maintain contact with local police stations and area commands for prompt intervention, adding that continued cooperation among stakeholders would be critical to preventing violence and ensuring peaceful elections.
Also speaking, INEC’s Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Ayobami Salami, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections, saying arrangements were being made for polling units to open by 8 a.m.
Salami said non-sensitive election materials were expected to arrive at local government areas 72 hours before election day, while sensitive materials would be delivered 24 hours before the polls.
He added that plans were underway to strengthen electronic transmission of polling-unit results to improve transparency.
Responding to concerns about alleged denial of Permanent Voter Cards to some residents in Ojo Local Government Area, the REC said he was unaware of the complaint and urged affected residents to report through the appropriate channels.
He assured stakeholders that eligible voters should not be disenfranchised.
On her part, the Lagos State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Temilola Akinade, expressed concern over the destruction of campaign posters and billboards, while urging political leaders to discourage violence and prevent young people from being used in political conflicts.
She however commended the police for intervening in complaints over such incidents.
Representative of the National Youth Council of Nigeria proposed social media engagement to educate young people on the electoral process and combat misinformation, while student representatives called for direct communication channels with security agencies.
Meanwhile, representatives of transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers, pledged to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies before, during and after the elections.
The engagement also featured representatives of the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Federal Fire Service and other stakeholders.