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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to improve protection for persons with disabilities and ensure they can participate fully in the 2027 general elections.

The commission stressed that election security plans must take into account the particular difficulties voters with disabilities face, including intimidation, inaccessible polling stations, communication difficulties and threats of violence.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Friday at a high-level technical meeting in Abuja focused on disability-inclusive election security and protection measures.

The engagement, which took place at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel, brought together security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations representing persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop approaches for making elections safer and more accessible.

Amupitan stated that the success of an election should be assessed not only by how voting is conducted but also by whether every eligible citizen can exercise their rights without fear or discrimination.

“The credibility of our elections depends not only on the voting process but also on the ability of every eligible citizen to participate freely, safely and without discrimination,” he said.

He cautioned that persons with disabilities continued to face barriers that could limit their participation, calling for stronger measures to protect them from harassment, intimidation and insecurity.

“Persons with disabilities must be protected against intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other barriers that could prevent them from exercising their franchise,” the INEC chairman said.

The INEC chairman identified the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 as some of the legal frameworks that support inclusive participation in elections.

He also referred to Nigeria’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, which provide for priority access, assistance and suitable voting materials for persons with disabilities.

Amupitan urged the police to carry out their duties professionally and impartially, ensuring that security measures did not compromise the dignity or independence of voters who require assistance.

“Appropriate assistance must preserve the dignity, independence, privacy and freedom of choice of voters with disabilities,” he said.

He further called for disability-related issues to be included in security assessments, officer training, deployment strategies and emergency-response plans ahead of election day.

According to him, preparations should cover the identification of polling stations that are difficult to reach, locations vulnerable to overcrowding, possible security flashpoints and communication barriers that might prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.

Amupitan also called for stronger coordination between INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He explained that such cooperation would support timely information-sharing, establish clear responsibilities for the agencies involved and enable prompt action against emerging security threats.

The INEC chairman identified the establishment of clear security procedures that accommodate persons with disabilities, specialised training for police personnel, accessible channels for reporting incidents and regular consultations with organisations of persons with disabilities as essential preparations for the 2027 general elections.

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