The Nigeria Police Force is set to develop a comprehensive security roadmap for the 2027 general elections as senior police officers, security experts, policymakers and other stakeholders converge on Owerri, Imo State, for the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO 2026).
The three-day conference, scheduled for September 21 to 23, 2026, is themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”
The forum is expected to provide the police leadership with a strategic platform to review the country’s evolving security landscape, identify emerging threats to electoral processes and develop practical measures to ensure the effective protection of lives, property and democratic institutions before, during and after the 2027 elections.
Ani Iniedu, Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, stressing that the conference would form part of ongoing efforts by the police authorities to strengthen operational preparedness ahead of the next general elections.
He said the retreat would bring together senior police commanders and other experts to examine the security challenges that could undermine the electoral process and determine how the police could deploy modern policing techniques to address them.
According to Iniedu, the discussions would place particular emphasis on intelligence-led policing, stronger police-community partnerships and the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in election security management.
The conference is also expected to examine ways of improving intelligence gathering, threat assessment, information sharing and operational coordination among security agencies and other relevant stakeholders involved in election security.
Iniedu said the outcome of the deliberations would include actionable strategies designed to enhance the protection of voters, electoral officials, political candidates, election materials and members of the public throughout the electoral cycle.
He explained that the initiative was consistent with the reform agenda of the police leadership, particularly efforts aimed at institutional reform, professionalisation, improved operational efficiency and enhanced readiness to respond to emerging security challenges.
The police spokesperson reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to providing a peaceful and secure environment for the 2027 general elections, noting that effective election security would require not only adequate deployment of personnel but also improved intelligence, technology, community engagement and coordination among relevant institutions.
The conference comes at a time when Nigeria’s electoral security environment is facing increasingly complex challenges, including political violence, threats against electoral personnel and facilities, the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, and the potential exploitation of emerging technologies by criminal and political actors.
Also speaking, Shina Philips, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lenders Consult International, said the organisation had continued to mobilise sponsorship for the conference since receiving approval to organise CARSPO 2026.
Philips described the initiative as part of the organisation’s contribution to supporting the Nigeria Police Force and strengthening the capacity of the institution to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.
He urged Nigerians and corporate organisations to support the police in maintaining public order, protecting lives and property and securing the country’s democratic processes.
According to him, CARSPO has evolved over the years beyond a conventional police conference into an international platform for the exchange of ideas, professional networking and the adoption of modern policing strategies.
He said the platform had continued to provide opportunities for senior police officers and other stakeholders to examine emerging security challenges and explore innovative approaches to policing.
Philips also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for supporting the organisation of the 2026 edition of the conference.
He pledged Lenders Consult International’s continued partnership with the police authorities, expressing confidence that CARSPO 2026 would produce innovative, practical and implementable solutions capable of improving policing and election security in Nigeria.
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