Military Warns Soldiers Ahead of 2027 Elections

(Nigerian Military. Photo by Vanguard News)

A top military officer has told soldiers who will work during next year's elections to follow the constitution, respect people's rights, and stay politically neutral.

The officer made the charge at a training session on Wednesday for personnel in Lagos who will be involved in election security.

The seminar focused on how soldiers should conduct themselves lawfully, their duties under the constitution, and how the military should handle election security.

Officials said the training was meant to ensure military personnel behave professionally and responsibly before, during and after the elections.

The commanding officer stressed that commanders must make sure their soldiers understand the laws about searches, arrests, use of force, how to treat civilians, and protecting people's fundamental rights.

He warned that not knowing the law would not be accepted as an excuse for wrong conduct and urged everyone to pay close attention to the lectures and ask questions about any legal or operational issues that might come up during election duties.

Another senior officer who spoke at the event emphasised the importance of political neutrality, professional discipline, following the constitution, respecting human rights, and working well with other security agencies.

He reminded participants that the police force, not the military, is the main agency responsible for election security and maintaining public order.

Two lectures were delivered at the seminar. One discussed the role of the military in a democracy, while the other covered legal issues, human rights, and security responsibilities that soldiers might face.

The training was attended by military personnel from various units, police officers, and representatives from other security agencies and civil society organisations.