ENUGU, Nigeria — Nigeria’s secret police, known as the Department of State Services (DSS), has arrested suspects allegedly involved in a plot targeting National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other temporary election workers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, disclosed the arrests during a meeting with electoral officials in Enugu.
Amupitan said intelligence gathered by the DSS had helped authorities identify those allegedly planning to target personnel recruited to conduct the elections.
The disclosure was made during INEC’s South-East Zonal Interactive Meeting and Readiness Assessment on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, according to the commission’s daily bulletin.
The INEC chairman said the suspects would be prosecuted.
He did not disclose how many people had been arrested, their identities, or the locations where the alleged attacks were being planned.
The authorities also did not provide details of the suspected plot or indicate whether specific electoral facilities had been targeted.
INEC Plans Security Conference Ahead of Elections
Amupitan said the commission had identified security risks affecting temporary election personnel, particularly corps members who are routinely deployed to polling units.
He announced plans to convene a national security conference to examine potential threats and strengthen arrangements for protecting election workers.
The commission has also expanded its cooperation with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which brings together electoral officials and security agencies.
According to Amupitan, INEC is working with security agencies at federal and state levels to assess potential risks before the elections.
The commission is using its Election Risk Management tools to establish what he described as “a robust, intelligence-driven security architecture.”
The arrangements are intended to improve coordination among security agencies and electoral officials during election preparations, voting, and the collation of results.
NYSC members constitute an important part of INEC’s temporary workforce, serving in polling units and assisting with electoral operations across Nigeria.
Chairman Warns Against Misinformation and Electoral Misconduct
Beyond security threats, Amupitan identified declining public confidence, voter apathy, and the spread of false information as major challenges confronting the commission.
He warned that fabricated reports and manipulated digital content could circulate rapidly during the election period.
“A single malicious fake news post, an unverified rumour, or a deepfake video can travel across millions of screens in seconds,” he said.
Amupitan said INEC’s ability to counter misleading information would depend partly on the conduct of its personnel and the reliability of its electoral procedures.
“The conduct, competence, and character of our staff in the field are either our strongest defence against fake news, or its biggest catalyst,” he stated.
He said the commission would prioritise timely public communication and adherence to established procedures at polling units.
The chairman also warned electoral officials against political interference, negligence, and corruption.
“Partisan leaning, administrative negligence, extortion, or compromised ethics will not be tolerated under my leadership,” he said.
He reminded staff that Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026 requires election officials and participating security personnel to swear an oath of loyalty and neutrality.
“The question governing your actions must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ The question must always be ‘What does the law require me to do?’” Amupitan said.
INEC has not announced a date for the proposed security conference.
The DSS has also not publicly disclosed further details of the alleged plot, and no charges against the suspects had been announced in the reports.
