The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has ordered a fresh deployment of senior police officers to Osun State as security preparations intensify ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
This latest deployment places Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Ishyaku Mohammed, in charge of coordinating the Nigeria Police Force’s election-security operations across the state.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, DIG Mohammed will coordinate the police component of the election-security arrangement in collaboration with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He will be supported by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police deployed across Osun State’s three senatorial districts.
The senior officers are expected to strengthen intelligence-led policing, supervise security operations and ensure prompt responses to emerging threats before, during and after the August 15 poll.
This development comes amid rising political tension in the state, with 14 political parties preparing to participate in the governorship election.
The major contenders include the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salam.
The police said comprehensive security measures had been put in place to protect voters, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) personnel, electoral materials, polling units, collation centres, accredited observers and media practitioners throughout the electoral process.
IGP Disu warned political actors, supporters and other individuals who may seek to disrupt the election that ballot snatching, voter intimidation, political thuggery and other electoral offences would attract immediate arrest and prosecution.
The Force also reiterated its prohibition of armed escorts, security aides and other unauthorised persons accompanying politicians or VIPs to polling units and collation centres on election day.
Similarly, state-established security outfits, quasi-security groups and private security organisations have been barred from participating in election-security duties in line with existing police directives.
The latest deployment follows an earlier decision by the IGP to assign CP Samuel Erale Etaifo to Osun State as Commissioner of Police in charge of election security.
Etaifo had been mandated to oversee and coordinate security operations across the state in conjunction with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders, as well as safeguard voters, election officials and electoral materials.
With the fresh deployment of DIG Mohammed, the police have effectively reinforced the command structure for the election as concerns over possible violence and other disruptions continue to mount.
The Force urged residents and eligible voters in Osun State to remain calm and exercise their franchise peacefully, assuring them of adequate security.
The police further reaffirmed their commitment to professionalism, neutrality, respect for human rights and the protection of the integrity of the electoral process.
“The Nigeria Police Force reassures residents, voters, and visitors in Osun State of adequate security and urges all eligible citizens to exercise their franchise peacefully and without fear. The Force remains committed to professionalism, neutrality, respect for human rights, and the protection of the electoral process,” the statement partly read.