By Opeyemi Adelakun
The police have deployed 15,000 personnel, 30 Commissioners of Police and other security assets across Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with the Army set to monitor entry routes into the state.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this on Friday in Osogbo while briefing journalists on security preparations for the August 15 poll.
Iniedu said a Deputy Inspector-General of Police would coordinate the overall security operation, while Commissioners of Police would oversee operations across the state’s 30 local government areas.
According to him, the police began deploying personnel three weeks before the election to prevent violence and other electoral offences.
He said each local government area had been assigned a Police Mobile Force unit of about 60 armed officers, alongside a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and other senior security officers.
“We have deployed armed mobile policemen to every local government area in the state. So, we have 30 units across 30 local government areas,” Iniedu said.
He added that two additional units of armed mobile policemen had been deployed to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo.
The police have also deployed a helicopter and drone unit for aerial surveillance before, during and immediately after the election.
“As of today, 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 FPRO said.
Border routes to be monitored
Iniedu said security agencies would restrict movement into and out of Osun as part of measures to prevent the movement of suspected political thugs and other elements capable of disrupting the election.
He said the Army would begin monitoring border roads leading into the state from midnight on Saturday.
“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,” he said.
The police also warned residents, particularly parents and young people, against involvement in electoral offences, including intimidation, stalking, vote-buying and ballot-box snatching.
A mobile court has been established to handle cases involving persons arrested for electoral offences during the election.
Police recover 34 firearms
The police also disclosed that 34 illegal firearms had so far been recovered in Osun as part of security operations ahead of the poll.
“We don’t have specific details about the guns we have mopped up, but I know that in Osun State, so far, we have mopped up about 34 illegal firearms, and investigations are ongoing,” Iniedu said.
The disclosure comes amid heightened concern over political violence following recent allegations and incidents involving supporters of rival political parties.
Meanwhile, some residents in Osogbo alleged that political party canvassers had distributed cash to voters ahead of the election.
Traders at Oja Ojude Oga, Ota Efun, Igbona and Alekuwodo markets claimed that they received ₦10,000 each from individuals they identified as political canvassers.
One trader alleged that the recipients had previously received ₦15,000 and were promised additional payments on election day if they voted for the sponsoring candidates.
Another resident, identified as Silifat, said residents in Alekuwodo also received cash from representatives of some political parties.
She alleged that the representatives requested support for their candidates but did not ask to see voters’ Permanent Voter Cards.
APC denies involvement in vote-buying
The spokesperson for the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Kola Olabisi, denied that the party was involved in vote-buying.
“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,” Olabisi said.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Accord Party spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile phone did not connect, while a response to a message sent to him had not been received as of the time of filing the report.
Navy arrests suspected political thugs
Separately, some persons suspected to be political thugs were reportedly arrested by Nigerian Navy personnel in Ifewara, Osun State, on Thursday.
The suspects were reportedly travelling in a vehicle bearing APC colours when they were intercepted.
A video circulating online showed about 12 people kneeling and facing a wall while Navy personnel questioned them.
The reported arrest comes amid heightened security concerns in the state and follows a series of allegations of threats, intimidation and violence ahead of Saturday’s election.
The Osun governorship election is expected to feature a closely contested race among major candidates, including Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.
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