By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Nigeria Police Force has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other ad hoc personnel engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of adequate security during the 2027 general elections, warning political actors against hate speech, incitement and electoral violence.
The police spokesperson, Ani Iniedu, gave the assurance on Thursday during a joint briefing by public relations officers of security agencies organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja. He said the Force had conducted extensive threat assessments and was strengthening security arrangements to protect electoral personnel before, during and after the elections.
The assurance follows the abduction of nine corps members and a commercial driver along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan road in Ogun State in November, as well as the kidnapping of 20 prospective corps members along the Owerri-Onitsha road in Imo State on October 1. The incidents have heightened concerns over the safety of young Nigerians expected to participate in election duties.
Iniedu said the police were working closely with INEC and other security agencies under established inter-agency arrangements to address potential threats. He disclosed that security deployments were being increased, while the Inspector-General of Police had directed the immediate distribution of operational equipment and logistics.
He recalled that the Force engaged corps members, their parents and other stakeholders during the Osun State election to address concerns about their safety, assuring that similar arrangements would be implemented for the 2027 general elections. He stressed that the protection of young Nigerians participating in the democratic process remained a priority.
The police spokesperson also disclosed that the Force had documented about 11 reported cases of hate speech, warning that individuals promoting incitement and political violence would face arrest and prosecution. He said the Inspector-General had directed all Commissioners of Police to ensure immediate action against offenders, while complaint channels had been established to report officers who failed to act.
Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned that gym-goers, particularly women, are increasingly vulnerable to sextortionists and relationship scammers who exploit social interactions to gain the trust of unsuspecting victims.
NAPTIP’s Public Relations Officer, Adekoye Vincent, said traffickers often approach potential victims in gyms, recreational centres and other social environments, initially presenting themselves as service providers offering assistance with shopping, domestic needs and emergencies. He explained that they gradually establish familiarity, obtain telephone numbers and use seemingly harmless gestures to manipulate victims. He also warned against fraudulent online job offers, citing the case of a lawyer who travelled from Benue State to Abuja in search of employment but fell into the hands of traffickers.
Giving an operational update, Vincent said NAPTIP secured the convictions of 16 individuals for human trafficking and violence-related offences and rescued or received 221 Nigerian trafficking victims through the airports in Abuja and Lagos. He added that surveillance at the Aminu Kano International Airport led to the interception of 65 potential trafficking victims being recruited for exploitation in the Middle East, while 16 suspicious health facilities were shut down in Port Harcourt.
He further disclosed that the agency recovered six additional children in an investigation involving more than 300 children allegedly trafficked from Benue and Nasarawa States by a suspect posing as a civil society leader, bringing the total number of rescued minors to 117. The trial of the suspects is ongoing in Makurdi. He also raised concerns over increasing cases of sextortion, rape and revenge pornography.
In another development, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) disclosed that it generated more than N1.42 trillion in revenue between September and October 2026, while recording exports valued at $752.8 million in the third quarter of the year. Its National Public Relations Officer, DCC Abdullahi Maiwada, attributed the performance to improved trade facilitation, revenue generation and border security under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Maiwada said the service generated N697.8 billion in September and N722.9 billion in October, processing 99,839 Single Goods Declarations and 9,195 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports. He added that third-quarter exports through the Lilypond Export Command increased by 22.14 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2025, with manufactured goods contributing $402.5 million and agricultural produce accounting for $311 million.
On anti-smuggling operations, Maiwada said Customs recorded seizures with a combined Duty Paid Value exceeding N8.1 billion, including narcotics and illegally transported petroleum products. He also disclosed that the service strengthened its anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism framework through intelligence-sharing partnerships with six institutions, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and National Counter-Terrorism Centre. In separate environmental protection operations in Ogun State, Customs rescued six endangered pangolins from traffickers.
Similarly, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raised concerns over the growing involvement of South African nationals in international drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria. The agency’s Assistant Director, Media and Advocacy, Francis Okogun, said three South Africans had been arrested with large quantities of heroin, cocaine and synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Loud, suspected to be working for international drug cartels.
Among those arrested was 38-year-old Will Jessica Ann, who was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin concealed in her luggage. Another South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, was arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport in October with 32.74 kilogrammes of synthetic cannabis. Okogun said investigations were ongoing to establish the destinations of the drugs and identify the international cartels and sponsors behind the trafficking operations.
