Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has called on any entity attempting to disrupt the peace in the state to shelve such plans ahead of the 2027 general election.
CP Olugbenga spoke with Sunday on the sidelines of an election sensitisation symposium organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Tribune Chapel, on Thursday.
According to the police chief, every stakeholder, from voters to politicians, must play by the rules to avoid spiralling violent incidents as the state prepares for the January 16, 2027, Presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as the February 6 Governorship and Houses of Assembly polls.
“My message is that they [residents and politicians] should play by the rules. We should play by the rules, yes. When you play by the rules, we can be able to avoid unfortunate incidents because your conduct during elections, whether before or after, are encoded in the laws, which must be followed. If all of us follow those laws, will have no problem,” he said.
With the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) still fresh in the minds of residents, the Oyo CP assured them that the state police command is continuously rejigging security measures and focusing on flashpoint areas to prevent violent crimes.
Olugbenga further assured Oyo residents not to harbour any fears of a breakdown in law and other between now and the 2027 elections.
“Nobody should be afraid of anything. We review security issues on a daily basis. It’s not static. So we’ve reviewed our template, and we are keeping tabs with the current issues on the ground,” he added.
The Oyo CP’s assurances come against the backdrop of a spate of violent attacks in the buildup to the governorship election in Osun State on Saturday, August 15. According to the Pre-Election Security Risk Assessment (ESRA) by the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), no fewer than 73 election-related violent incidents resulting in 29 deaths have been recorded ahead of the poll, raising fears of voter suppression.