The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, have called for closer cooperation between security agencies and the media to ensure peaceful and credible elections. This was stated at an election security workshop organized by the NUJ in Abuja with the theme; “Responsible Security Reporting in the Age of Citizen Journalism: Protecting Nigeria’s Stability Ahead of the 2027 Elections”.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, pledged that the Force would protect lives and property, maintain public order and safeguard citizens’ democratic rights throughout the electoral process. He assured that the Force was already aligning its operational framework for the pre-election, voting and post-election periods.
AIG Akaninyene Ezima, representing the IGP, said the Force welcomed legitimate scrutiny of their operations and urged journalists to investigate allegations of misconduct and human rights violations while maintaining professional and evidence-based reporting. He warned that election security could not be achieved by security agencies alone, calling for stronger collaboration with journalists, social media influencers and citizen reporters.
The IGP also warned that the increasing use of artificial intelligence to produce convincing fake audio, photographs and videos posed a new challenge to election security and could trigger panic or violence. He urged journalists and the public to exercise caution when dealing with election results and security alerts, stressing that political claims and social media posts should not be mistaken for official information.
NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, urged journalists covering security and electoral matters to uphold professional standards in the face of the rapid growth of citizen journalism. She stressed that the speed and volume of information on digital platforms had increased the risks associated with security reporting.
Ike urged journalists to protect confidential sources, victims and vulnerable witnesses, while avoiding publication of sensitive details that could compromise security operations or endanger lives. She also called on security agencies to engage transparently with journalists and respect press freedom, while urging media organisations to strengthen fact-checking systems and provide continuous training for reporters.
Ike urged security correspondents and other journalists to approach the 2027 elections with “rigor, humility and a commitment to the public interest.” The NUJ and the Nigeria Police Force are working together to ensure that the 2027 general elections are peaceful and credible.
Key points
- The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Union of Journalists have called for closer cooperation to ensure peaceful and credible elections.
- The IGP has pledged to protect lives and property, maintain public order and safeguard citizens’ democratic rights throughout the electoral process.
- Journalists have been urged to uphold professional standards and protect confidential sources, victims and vulnerable witnesses.
