The Nigeria Police Force has announced the deployment of a Deputy Inspector-General of Police and 30 Commissioners of Police to coordinate security operations across the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State for Saturday’s governorship election.
The deployment details were disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, during a press briefing in Osogbo. Iniedu stated that the comprehensive security framework involves over 15,000 police personnel, surveillance helicopters, and dedicated drone units deployed to ensure an orderly electoral exercise.
The major contenders in the race include incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.
According to Iniedu, a Commissioner of Police, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, and a Mobile Police Commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police have been deployed to oversee each of the 30 local government areas.
Iniedu said, “We have deployed armed mobile policemen to every local government area in the state. So, we have 30 units across 30 local government areas. A unit is about 60 policemen.”
He added, “We also have two units of armed mobile policemen attached to the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters in Osogbo here. The men who stay at the local government areas are being coordinated by a Commissioner of Police. There is a Commissioner of Police in each Local Government Area.”
He noted, “We also have a Deputy Commissioner of Police in each Local Government Area, as well as a Mobile Police Commander and a PMF commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in each Local Government Area.”
Iniedu explained, “As of today (Thursday), our helicopters and drone units have arrived in Osogbo, and they will be conducting area surveillance from now, during and immediately after the elections.”
The Force PRO also disclosed that the Nigerian Army will cordon off all border corridors leading into Osun State starting from 12:00 am on Saturday.
He stated, “We will be locking down the state. We will not be allowing any vehicular movement apart from those on essential duty, security duties and those going to cast their franchise,”.
Iniedu cautioned parents to warn their wards against thuggery, ballot-box snatching, vote-buying, and harassment, noting that mobile courts have been constituted to swiftly try electoral offenders. He confirmed that security operatives have so far recovered 34 illegal firearms across the state as mop-up operations continue.
Meanwhile, allegations of inducement surfaced across parts of Osogbo, where traders in Oja Ojude Oga, Ota Efun, Igbona, and Alekuwodo markets claimed party canvassers distributed cash sums ranging between N10,000 and N15,000 to solicit votes.
Reacting to the allegations, Osun APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi denied any involvement in vote-buying.
Olabisi said, “Vote-buying? Our party does not need to do that before we win. It is a popular party with a strong candidate. We are not involved, ask those in the other parties,”.
In a separate development, operatives of the Nigerian Navy reportedly arrested about 12 suspected hoodlums traveling in an APC-branded vehicle in Ifewara. Olabisi noted that the party would review the viral video before issuing a formal response.
Amid the security build-up, the Independent National Electoral Commission urged political parties to respect the Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee led by Catholic Bishop Matthew Kukah.
Speaking on ADBN TV, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, emphasized the binding nature of the agreement.
Oketola said, “The Peace Accord that was put together by the National Peace Committee in collaboration with INEC wasn’t just a jamboree.”
He added, “It is important for all of us to understand that it was a public component by political parties with the people of Osun State, that come what may, we will maintain peace and order and ensure that we maintain discipline and do everything by the law on election day. So, it is important for political actors to honour that Peace Accord. That is why it will continue to be relevant. If we know that the Peace Accord means nothing, why are we organising it? So, first, the political parties have made a public commitment. We must honour it.”
Oketola affirmed that INEC is fully prepared for polling across the 3,700 polling units in the state, with upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and over 1,300 backup units deployed to handle contingencies. He also warned against voter inducement, reiterating that vote-buying remains a punishable criminal offense under the Electoral Act.
INEC also confirmed that 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards (representing 81.50% of the 2,339,233 registered voters) have been collected. The remaining 426,842 uncollected PVCs (18.50%) have been deposited in the vaults of the Central Bank of Nigeria for safekeeping.
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