CARSPO 2026: Policing the Path for 2027 Election Security

As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 General Elections, the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with Lenders Consult International, is once again convening the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO), this time with electoral security squarely in focus. The sixth edition, holding September 21 to 23, 2026, in Owerri, Imo State, will bring senior police officers together under the theme “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” aiming to concretise strategy for protecting voters, personnel and materials ahead of the 2027 general elections. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

With few months to go before Nigerians return to the polls in 2027, questions of electoral security are once again moving to the front burner and this time, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) wants a clearer script to follow. Why you may ask? 

Every election cycle in Nigeria brings the same anxious question: can the police keep the process safe? So even though  Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections may still be some months away, the Nigeria Police Force isn’t waiting to start planning. 

Which is why from September 21 to 23, 2026, senior officers will gather in Owerri, Imo State, for the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO), where the Force in collaboration with Lenders Consult International, hope to hammer out a working roadmap for keeping voters, personnel and materials safe through the next election cycle.

Themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” CARSPO 2026 will bring together senior police officers, policing experts and relevant stakeholders to examine emerging electoral security challenges and develop practical strategies for safe, peaceful and credible elections.

According to the Force, deliberations at this year’s edition will focus on Intelligence-led Policing, Police-Community Partnerships, digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and other contemporary approaches to strengthening police operations before, during, and after elections.

 The conference, primarily involving officers of the rank of Commissioner of Police and above, is expected to provide an opportunity for strategic engagement and the development of practical measures to strengthen the Force’s capacity for election security management, and will facilitate the development of actionable strategies for the protection of voters, electoral personnel, candidates, electoral materials and the general public during the 2027 General Elections.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 21, in Owerri, Imo State.

Announcing the conference, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to strengthening strategic leadership, professionalism and operational preparedness towards ensuring a peaceful, safe and secure environment for the 2027 General Elections.

Lenders Consult Reaffirms Commitment

At a press conference held recently at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to announce the sixth edition of the conference, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lenders Consult International, Mr Shina Philips, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the Nigeria Police Force in strengthening security arrangements ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Philips said the organisation’s partnership with the Nigeria Police was aimed at supporting the Force in developing effective strategies to secure the electoral process and maintain public order during the 2027 elections, adding that the conference will provide an opportunity for senior police officers and other stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for effective election security management.

He said the partnership was aligned with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, NPM, psc(+), who recently emphasised the critical role of the police in ensuring electoral stability. According to him, the IGP had noted that “stability of the electoral process largely depends on the Police as the lead agency in internal democracy.”

Philips said Lenders Consult International had partnered the Nigeria Police since 2019 to support policing initiatives and promote modern approaches to policing in Nigeria.  

Speaking on the organisation’s consistency in sustaining the platform, Philips said: “Since inception, when we first got approval to organise the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, we have worked to secure sponsorship for every single edition. We consider this our contribution to support the selfless and patriotic work of the Nigeria Police,” he said.

The Lenders Consult CEO also called for greater support for the Nigeria Police from Nigerians, stressing that securing society and maintaining public order should not be left solely to government. 

“While commending the government’s efforts, we emphasise that Nigerians need to support the police in fulfilling their constitutional mandate to secure our society and maintain public order,” Philips said.

He noted that the conference had continued to expand its scope and attract international participants, adding that Nigeria, as the “Giant of Africa,” was playing a leading role in the adoption of modern policing methods. 

Philips pledged that Lenders Consult International would continue to work with the Nigeria Police authorities to ensure that the conference remained focused on providing practical and cutting-edge solutions to contemporary policing challenges.

He expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, the Force Management Team and the entire Nigeria Police Force for their continued support for the programme since its inception in 2019. He also thanked the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, for agreeing to host the conference in Owerri for the third time.

What CARSPO Has Delivered Over the Years

The commitment behind this year’s edition is rooted in a track record built over five previous editions. Since the maiden edition in 2019, hosted by the Lagos State Government, the conference has been held in various locations, including Uyo, Owerri, and Abeokuta, reflecting its national significance and growing institutional acceptance.

Bringing together officers from the rank of Commissioner of Police and above, the retreat has provided a rare opportunity for commanders to engage in peer review and cross-fertilisation of ideas on policing and security challenges. 

Through this process, senior officers have been encouraged to critically assess crime patterns, operational gaps, and resource deployment strategies, with an emphasis on daily crime analysis at command levels, improved situation reporting (SITRE), and enhanced analytical capacity that has strengthened decision-making across the Force.

The retreat has also reinforced the importance of evidence-based policing. By focusing on better management of crime scenes, improved intelligence gathering, and the creation of offenders’ registers for profiling, the conference has helped shift policing from reactive responses toward more proactive and intelligence-led operations.

On technology, discussions at the retreat have consistently pushed for the digitalisation of police processes, the strengthening of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), and an overhaul of the Force’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department. 

Emphasis on linking police data with other organisations and agencies has improved information sharing and coordination in criminal investigations, while proposals for fusion centres for intelligence integration reflect a growing recognition that modern policing requires collaboration, data analysis, and real-time information exchange. 

The retreat has also encouraged capacity-building for policing cyberspace, promoting partnerships with technology companies and specialised agencies to equip officers with the skills needed to combat cyber-related offences.

Community policing has remained a central theme across editions, with the retreat emphasising the need for officers to engage actively with schools, motor parks, housing estates and local associations. 

A related outcome has been the push to implement community radio platforms for policing communication, designed to improve information dissemination and strengthen relationships between police and the communities they serve.

The conference has also reinforced discipline and operational accountability within the Force. Regular briefings by the Force High Command, improved information management, and an emphasis on fact verification have strengthened internal communication, while the canvassing for the reintroduction of pocket notebooks and the biometric capture of all police personnel have improved documentation, transparency and identity verification. 

The retreat has also encouraged greater caution in the use of social media by officers, recognising the need for responsible communication in an era of rapidly spreading information.

Beyond the Force itself, the conference has encouraged collaboration with agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and private sector organisations, including oil and gas associations, to support resource mobilisation, equipment acquisition and operational efficiency.

A Roadmap for 2027

Taken together, these cumulative gains form the backdrop against which CARSPO 2026 is being convened. 

With the 2027 General Elections on the horizon, the Force and its long-standing partner are positioning this year’s Owerri retreat not merely as another edition in the series, but as the platform on which senior police leadership will build a concrete, actionable strategy for securing Nigeria’s next electoral cycle, ranging from the protection of voters and electoral personnel to the safeguarding of materials and the wider public, before, during and after the polls.