The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a three-day training workshop for election security personnel ahead of the Ekiti off-cycle governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, the electoral commission said the training began on Monday at the Hassanat Event Centre in Ado-Ekiti.
According to INEC, the workshop brought together security officers drawn from the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State.
The participants are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), tasked with ensuring a peaceful and secure environment during the election.
INEC said the training was designed to strengthen collaboration among security agencies and improve preparedness for election security management before, during and after the poll.
AREA OF TRAINING
The commission added that participants were trained on election security management, crowd control, intelligence gathering, conflict prevention, professionalism and compliance with the Electoral Act.
Falade Adegoroye Michael, commissioner of police in Ekiti state, urged participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the workshop.
According to him, the success of the election would depend largely on the preparedness and professionalism of security personnel deployed for election duties.
“The knowledge and skills acquired during the training will not only improve election security operations but also contribute positively to the overall professional development of participants,” he said.
Also speaking, Bunmi Omoseyidemi, resident electoral commissioner (REC) for Ekiti state, said a secure environment remained essential for political parties, voters and election officials to participate freely in the electoral process.
He stressed the importance of intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration and adherence to established rules of engagement throughout the election period.
According to him, proactive planning and coordinated response mechanisms would be critical to ensuring a peaceful and credible election.
INEC said the training reinforced the need for professionalism, neutrality and respect for human rights among security personnel involved in election duties.
