The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen protections for persons with disabilities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), made the appeal on Friday during a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security in Abuja.
He stressed that electoral credibility depends not only on the conduct of voting but also on ensuring that every eligible citizen can participate freely, safely, and without discrimination.
Amupitan warned that persons with disabilities remain vulnerable to intimidation, inaccessible polling units, communication barriers, and threats of violence.
He urged security agencies to integrate disability-related concerns into their assessments, training, deployment, and emergency-response plans.
“Persons with disabilities must be protected against intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other barriers that could prevent them from exercising their franchise,” he said.
He cited the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018, and Nigeria’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as legal foundations for inclusive participation.
The INEC chairman also emphasized the importance of collaboration through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), calling for clear disability-inclusive protocols, specialised police training, accessible incident-reporting channels, and continuous engagement with disability organisations.
Stakeholders at the meeting included security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, and organisations of persons with disabilities, all working to develop strategies for safer and more accessible elections.
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