Stakeholders in Kaduna State have identified vulnerable areas and called for stronger coordination among security agencies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The stakeholders made the call on Friday at a citizens’ engagement on election security organised by CLEEN Foundation, with support from Open Society Foundations.
The engagement provided a platform for citizens and key stakeholders to discuss election security, participation, early warning, violence prevention and protection of electoral integrity.
The Programme Director of CLEEN Foundation, Dr Salaudeen Hasheem, said election security must be strengthened before, during and after elections to address voter apathy.
Hasheem said the ballot is an instrument of choice, while peace remained the condition necessary for citizens to freely make choices affecting their future.
He said the engagement brought together relevant actors and produced a citizens’ charter of demands and a peace accord.
Hasheem identified the weakness of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Kaduna (ICCES) as a major concern requiring urgent attention.
He said ICCES was strategic to election security management because it promoted coordination among relevant agencies.
“We have seen very clearly that there is no situation room at the moment that is monitoring incidents and cataloguing them,” Hashim said.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to convene relevant stakeholders and establish coordinated mechanisms for election security incident management.
Hasheem said participants also raised concerns about the possible misuse of quasi-security groups, including KADVIS and Yan Banga, by politically exposed persons.
He said the engagement conducted threat mapping and identified areas considered vulnerable to possible electoral violence.
Hasheem listed parts of Giwa, Kaduna North, Kubau, Tudun Wada, Rigasa, Zaria, Kachia and Kagarko axes among areas mentioned during the threat-mapping exercise.
He urged law enforcement agencies to use the threat map to guide deployment, response and mitigation strategies ahead of the elections.
Earlier, the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Mr Peter Maduoma, represented by Mrs Chigozirim Okoro, said election security should not be treated as a one-day exercise.
Maduoma said security breakdowns through violence, hate speech, disinformation and voter disenfranchisement could undermine public safety, economic activities and trust in institutions.
He said the engagement sought to bridge grassroots community intelligence with formal security structures through threat mapping, dialogue and institutional engagement.
Maduoma said communities would develop a charter outlining expectations from security agencies, electoral bodies and political actors.
He added that political candidates and parties would make public commitments to uphold peace, reject violence and protect communities before, during and after elections.
Dr Terngu Gwar, the Coordinator of National Human Rights Commission in Kaduna, said peaceful elections were essential to achieving credible, fair and transparent elections.
Gwar said security played a vital role in determining the quality of elections and citizens’ willingness to participate in the voting process.
He said insecurity could discourage citizens from voting, thereby contributing to voter apathy.
Gwar said the meeting enabled stakeholders to collectively identify vulnerable areas and develop actionable strategies to address potential threats.
Mikailu Abubakar, Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), Kaduna State, urged political parties to ensure their members and candidates complied with the Electoral Act and Constitution.
Abubakar also called on security agencies to remain non-partisan and allow political parties to conduct issue-based campaigns without violence.
He said IPAC would continue organising seminars and workshops for political parties to promote free, fair and credible elections.
Salisu Aliyu, INEC Chief Security Officer in Kaduna, said the engagement had exposed security concerns that would help stakeholders prepare adequately for the 2027 elections.
Aliyu said INEC would convene ICCES stakeholders, including security and anti-corruption agencies, to strengthen coordination ahead of the elections.
He said the committee would include representatives of the Army, Navy, ICPC and EFCC, among others.
Aliyu said the engagement also promoted the understanding that political parties represented different ideologies but should coexist peacefully throughout the electoral process.
ACP Abdulkadir Yahaya, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, Kaduna State Police Command, described the forum as an opportunity to review previous electoral challenges.
Yahaya said the document produced from the engagement would guide the police, INEC and other stakeholders in addressing identified challenges.
He said the police would review the recommendations at its management level and re-strategise to prevent previous lapses.
Yahaya also identified logistics challenges during elections, particularly the transportation of sensitive materials, as an issue requiring improved coordination between INEC and the police.
He said changing security dynamics could turn previously safe areas into vulnerable locations, adding that the threat mapping would assist the police in determining appropriate deployments.
Newsmen report that the engagement was designed to promote early warning and response, citizen participation, prevention of electoral violence and protection of the integrity of 2027 elections.