The Nigeria Police Force is reviewing lessons from recent elections to address operational shortcomings and strengthen its conduct ahead of the 2027 general elections, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has said.
Disu disclosed that the force had convened commissioners of police and other senior officers to assess previous electoral operations and identify areas requiring improvement before the next nationwide polls.
He said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that police personnel demonstrate greater professionalism before, during and after the elections, expressing confidence that Nigerians would be satisfied with the force’s performance.
“We have now brought all these experiences together, where we did well and where we did not do well, so that we can perform better in this big election that everybody is looking up to,” the IGP said.
Disu spoke with journalists after the launch of The Origin of Women in Nigeria Police Force, a book written by 96-year-old retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Dame Stella Okuyiga, one of the first 20 pioneer female officers to join the force.
The police chief said the review of previous elections would help the force consolidate its successes and correct identified weaknesses as preparations intensify for the 2027 polls.
“I give you my word. Nigeria Police will do so well, and we will make Nigeria Police so proud, and we will make Nigerians proud,” he said.
His assurance places the force’s operational readiness and professional conduct at the centre of expectations ahead of the elections, when police officers will be expected to provide security, protect voters and electoral personnel, and maintain order without compromising the integrity of the voting process.
Beyond the electoral preparations, Disu used the occasion to highlight the importance of preserving the institutional history of the police, particularly the contributions of women to the development of the force.
He described Okuyiga’s book as a valuable record of experience that could help younger officers understand the challenges, sacrifices and achievements of earlier generations.
“Mama is 96 years old, and she has taken her time to put all her experience, institutional knowledge that she has down in the book for us to be able to study it for the generations coming, for women police in the next generation to have something to look up to,” he said.
Disu added that the police would work to ensure that copies of the publication were available in police training institutions to enable officers to learn from the experiences of their predecessors.
“We in the police, we are starting up the history of not leaving our own, not forgetting our own,” he said.
Okuyiga, who joined the force in 1955, said the publication represented a lasting record of her life and service, expressing happiness that her experiences would remain available to future generations.
“This book launch today is an important day in my life because the book itself is there. But I still live on my life. I still live on because this book will be in libraries all over the world, and they’ll be reading it,” she said.
While Disu’s assurance signals the force’s intention to improve its electoral performance, the effectiveness of the planned review will ultimately be reflected in how officers handle security, political neutrality and the rights of voters during the 2027 elections.
