Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has called for proactive and harmonised security measures to forestall electoral violence across the country.
Sen. Akume who made the call, on Thursday, at the opening ceremony of the Federal and State Security Administrators Meeting in Umuahia, warned that voter registration, party primaries and campaigns could heighten tensions if not proactively managed.
The SGF represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Mr Mohammed Danjuma, said robust security architecture must precede full-scale political mobilisation.
“As you are aware, the nation prepares for the 2027 general elections. The political activities, including updating of voter registers, party primaries and election campaigns, among others, are expected to commence soon in this year.
“These activities require robust security arrangements for their smooth conduct”, the SGF stated.
He noted that the Federal Government had, in anticipation of electoral threats, established the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in 2015 to ensure peaceful, free and credible elections.
According to him, the committee is chaired by the National Security Adviser at the federal level, with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission as co-chair, while similar arrangements operate in the states under Resident Electoral Commissioners and Commissioners of Police.
Sen. Akume stressed the need for tighter synergy among security agencies, INEC and political stakeholders, and called for early intelligence gathering as well as strict enforcement of electoral laws to curb the activities of political thugs and hoodlums.
He also warned against false narratives capable of fuelling panic, ethnic and religious tension capable of undermining trust in public institutions and directed the National Orientation Agency and related bodies to intensify strategic communication to counter misinformation ahead of the 2027 polls.
The SGF who described security as a collective responsibility, appealed to citizens to volunteer credible information to support ongoing operations against terrorism, banditry and organised crime, particularly as the nation approaches another election cycle.
He further described the choice of the South-East as host of the meeting as evidence of improving stability in the region and commended the Federal Government, Security Agencies and the Abia State Government for collaborative efforts in restoring calm.
In his speech while officially declaring the event open, Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti linked electoral credibility directly to national stability, and insisted that security planning for 2027 must begin immediately.
Governor Otti noted that credible polls require early planning and adequate security arrangements, adding that INEC must be centrally involved in all security discussions to guarantee free, fair and peaceful elections.
The Governor described security as the bedrock of governance and development, warning that investments, infrastructure growth and job creation could not thrive in an atmosphere of political uncertainty.
He advocated what he termed “operational federalism”, where federal security structures and State authorities work in deliberate alignment, particularly during election periods.
Governor Otti called for strengthened joint planning frameworks, rapid response mechanisms and structured communication channels among Security Agencies, stressing that coordination must be intentionally designed and continuously improved.
“Security is not an isolated function of force, it is the enabling environment for prosperity. Nigeria’s constitutional framework places significant security authority at the federal level, while states remain closest to the people and most immediately impacted by insecurity.
“This reality calls for what I would describe as operational federalism, a model where federal government structures and state-level administrative responsibility work in deliberate alignment.
“We must continue to strengthen intelligence sharing mechanisms, joint planning frameworks, rapid response coordination and structured communication channels between federal agencies and sub-national authorities”, Governor Otti said.
The Governor further advocated predictive security systems, early warning structures and community-based intelligence, noting that grassroots leaders and traditional institutions remain critical in preventing politically motivated unrest.
He urged participants to ensure that deliberations at the conference produced practical, measurable outcomes capable of enhancing national stability and reaffirmed Abia’s commitment to collaborative security governance.
The Co-Chair of the meeting and Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, in an interview with Journalists, said the forum was designed to review the nation’s security situation and prevent fragmentation in operational responses, especially during politically sensitive periods.
Prof Tar explained that the platform, established in the 1990s, convenes representatives of Security Agencies, the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and key Federal Institutions to assess threats to national security and territorial integrity.
He said the meeting, held at least twice annually, allows States to present situation reports while Federal Agencies provide operational briefings to align responses and reduce duplication of roles.
