President Bola Tinubu has warned the Nigeria Police Force against allowing political interests to influence its conduct ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Tinubu gave the warning on Monday at the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, where his address was delivered by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

The President urged the police to maintain professionalism and impartiality, stressing that the Force must serve as a national institution rather than an instrument of any political interest.

He said every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, social status or geographical location, should feel protected by the police.

According to him, neutrality and professionalism were essential to public confidence in the police and the credibility of the democratic process.

The conference, themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” brought senior police officers together to discuss strategies for securing the 2027 elections.

Tinubu said election security went beyond protecting polling units and electoral materials, noting that the police must also protect citizens and electoral officials, facilitate peaceful campaigns, prevent violence and intimidation, and ensure that Nigerians could participate in the democratic process without fear.

He urged the Force to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve response times, deepen community engagement, embrace technology and enhance cooperation with other security and electoral agencies.

The President also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to police reforms through investment in personnel, training, technology, intelligence infrastructure, operational logistics, welfare and institutional systems.

He commended Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu and the Police Management Team for their efforts to reposition the Force, while acknowledging officers who had lost their lives confronting kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes.

Tinubu, however, said the police must match government support with courage, integrity, discipline and professionalism, while respecting the rights and dignity of citizens.

He tasked the senior officers at the retreat with producing a practical and implementable roadmap for election security, operational preparedness and improved public confidence.

The President said the roadmap should also extend beyond the 2027 elections towards building a modern, professional, technology-enabled, intelligence-driven and citizen-centred police force.