The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ishyaku Mohammed, to Osun State to coordinate security operations for Saturday’s governorship election.
The deployment is part of heightened security preparations by the Nigeria Police Force to ensure a peaceful, secure and credible election across the state.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the statement, Mohammed will coordinate the police component of the election security arrangement and work with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
The latest deployment comes after the IGP had earlier approved the mobilisation of about 15,000 police personnel and deployed a Commissioner of Police to take charge of the overall police security arrangement for the election.
Iniedu said the DIG would be supported by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police deployed across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The officers, she said, would supervise security operations, strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure that security personnel respond quickly to any threat that could disrupt the election.
“DIG Mohammed will coordinate the Police component of the election-security arrangement and work closely with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES),” the statement said.
The police said the security arrangements were designed to protect voters, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, election materials, polling units, collation centres, accredited observers and journalists before, during and after the election.
The Force also warned politicians, their supporters and other individuals against attempting to disrupt the electoral process.
The IGP said ballot snatching, voter intimidation, political thuggery and other electoral offences would attract arrest and prosecution.
The warning comes as political parties and their candidates intensify preparations for the election, with security agencies under pressure to prevent violence and other forms of electoral malpractice.
Osun has witnessed intense political competition in recent years, particularly between the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The state’s political environment has also been marked by disputes and accusations involving party supporters, making security a major concern ahead of the poll.
The police therefore said it would not allow political actors or their supporters to use violence to influence the outcome of the election.
The IGP also reiterated the ban on armed escorts, security aides and other unauthorised persons accompanying political figures and VIPs to polling units or collation centres on election day.
According to the police, the restriction is intended to prevent the presence of heavily armed individuals at sensitive electoral locations and reduce the possibility of intimidation or confrontation.
The Force also warned that state-established security outfits, quasi-security groups and private security organisations were not permitted to participate in election security duties.
It said election security would remain under the control of the authorised security agencies working within the established security structure.
The police said the decision was in line with its election security directives and was aimed at ensuring a coordinated approach to the protection of voters and election personnel.
The Force urged residents of Osun State to cooperate with security agencies and report suspicious activities that could threaten the peaceful conduct of the election.
“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 statement added.
The latest deployment is coming against the backdrop of increased security preparations ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The Commissioner of Police deployed to oversee the election, Erale Etaifo, had earlier announced plans to deploy about 15,000 police operatives across the state.
The personnel are expected to include conventional police officers, specialists, members of the Police Mobile Force, dog handlers and medical personnel.
Etaifo had also disclosed that the election security operation would include the deployment of senior police officers, including a DIG and an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, to supervise operations.
The police deployment is expected to cover the state’s 30 local government areas and thousands of polling units.
Security personnel are expected to maintain order at polling locations, protect electoral materials and personnel, and prevent attempts to manipulate or disrupt the voting process.
The presence of senior police officers across the three senatorial districts is also expected to strengthen coordination and ensure that security incidents are handled quickly.
Election security has become a major issue in Nigeria following previous cases of violence, intimidation, ballot box snatching and attacks on electoral officials during elections.
Security agencies have therefore been under increasing pressure to ensure that voters can exercise their constitutional right without fear.
Beyond the voting process, the police are expected to remain active during the counting and collation of results.
This is important because election-related tensions can sometimes increase after polling ends, particularly when supporters of competing candidates begin to dispute results.
The police said the security arrangements would remain in place before, during and after the election to prevent such incidents and protect all stakeholders.
The involvement of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security is also expected to improve coordination between the police and other security agencies.
The committee provides a platform for security agencies involved in elections to share information and coordinate their activities.
The police said intelligence-led policing would be a major part of the operation, with security personnel expected to identify and respond to possible threats before they develop into major incidents.
The Force also appealed to political parties and candidates to advise their supporters to remain peaceful and respect the electoral process.
It warned that anyone caught engaging in violence or other electoral offences would be dealt with according to the law.
The deployment of the DIG is expected to give the police operation an additional layer of coordination as the state prepares for the poll.
Mohammed will work with other senior officers and security agencies to monitor developments across the state and ensure that security arrangements are properly implemented.
The police have also assured accredited election observers and journalists of protection as they carry out their duties.
With the election only days away, attention is now focused on the ability of the security agencies to maintain peace while allowing voters to participate freely.
The police said its objective was not only to prevent violence but also to create an environment where voters could cast their ballots without intimidation.
The Force urged eligible voters to come out and exercise their rights peacefully, while warning political actors against any action that could undermine the credibility of the election.