- CARSPO 2026 brings senior officers and security stakeholders to Owerri
By Princely Onyenwe | News Desk
OWERRI, IMO STATE — The Nigeria Police Force is set to converge on Owerri, Imo State, from September 21 for the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO 2026, with the development of a strategic roadmap for effective security management during the 2027 general elections at the centre of the engagement.
The three-day conference, scheduled for September 21–23, 2026, is being organised by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with Lenders Consult International and is themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.” The opening ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, September 21, in Owerri, according to the Police.
The Police and organisers have extended invitations for the opening ceremony to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, top government functionaries, politicians, media houses and members of the public, alongside senior police officers, security stakeholders and other invited guests expected to participate in the landmark security engagement.
CARSPO 2026 is expected to 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 Police, the conference will focus on intelligence-led policing, police-community partnerships, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, alongside other contemporary approaches aimed at strengthening the Force’s operational capacity to respond to election-related security challenges.
The deliberations are also expected to examine measures for protecting voters, electoral officials, political candidates, election materials and members of the public throughout the electoral process, with emphasis on translating strategic discussions into practical security measures.
Officers of the rank of Commissioner of Police and above are expected to form the core of the conference, providing a platform for senior commanders to examine operational challenges and strengthen preparedness for the 2027 elections.
The conference is also expected to provide a wider platform for engagement among security authorities, government representatives, political stakeholders, the media and the public, particularly on the security conditions required for the protection of the electoral process.
Lenders Consult International has partnered with the Nigeria Police Force on the conference since 2019, with the 2026 edition expected to further strengthen collaboration on contemporary policing and election-security challenges. The Imo State Government is hosting the event in Owerri.
The Owerri conference comes as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 electoral cycle, placing renewed attention on the preparedness of security agencies to protect voters, electoral personnel, candidates and election materials while maintaining public safety during the electoral process.
For the Nigeria Police Force, the expected outcome is a practical security roadmap capable of guiding commanders and personnel in preventing, detecting and responding to threats associated with elections.
With President Tinubu, government functionaries, politicians, media organisations, members of the public, senior police officers and other stakeholders invited to the opening ceremony, CARSPO 2026 is positioned as a broad national engagement on the security requirements of the forthcoming electoral cycle and the operational measures needed to support a safe and orderly election environment.
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