The Nigeria Police Force has stepped up security arrangements across Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, deploying helicopters, drones, Mobile Police personnel and other security operatives to safeguard the exercise.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Okokon Iniedu, disclosed this on Friday at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo while briefing officers assigned to election duties.
According to Iniedu, Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had instructed the force to ensure that the election was conducted in a peaceful, secure and credible environment, while protecting lives and property.
He said the police would also take firm action against electoral malpractice, particularly vote-buying.
He added, “Vote buying is an electoral malpractice and we will not tolerate any form of vote buying in Osun State.
“The IGP has directed the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the election to ensure that anybody caught in the process of vote-buying be arrested and prosecuted immediately. Like the DIG even said this morning, we will treat electoral offences decisively in this election.”
The FPRO further assured voters, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and other election workers that security agencies would remain neutral throughout the exercise.
“The directive of the federal police is that we conduct a secure, safe and seamless election.”
Giving further details of the security plan, Iniedu said aerial monitoring had already commenced, while police personnel had been positioned at polling units, INEC offices and other sensitive locations.
He explained, “As we speak, our air components have arrived, our Helicopter and Drone Units are on ground and they have commenced surveillance patrols across the state.
“We also have deployed one unit of the Police Mobile Force across all local government areas. For the Independent National Electoral Commission, we have two units of combat-ready armed MOPOL personnel.
“We also have seven units of Special Protection Unit personnel that will be responsible for the movement of sensitive and non-sensitive INEC materials for the election and as well as the protection of our electoral officers.”
He added that more armed MOPOL personnel had been stationed at the command headquarters to respond to emergencies, while patrol teams and checkpoints had been deployed at strategic locations throughout the state.
Iniedu disclosed that the Inspector-General had also ordered the deployment of four unarmed security personnel to every polling unit.
He stated: “For this election too, the IGP has directed that we post four unarmed personnel to each polling booth. Osun State has over 3,700 polling units, we’ll be having four law enforcement personnel at each of these units for the elections.”
He said the police had carried out security assessments in all 30 local government areas and deployed officers according to the level of risks identified in each location.
According to him, undercover operatives would equally be deployed to collect intelligence and help forestall potential threats during the election.
“Apart from the men you’re seeing here on uniform, well-armed and gallant, ready for the elections, we also have covert operatives in mufti moving around the cities, moving around the nooks and crannies of Osun State to ensure adequate information and intelligence for necessary action,” he added.
The police spokesperson also announced that vehicular movement would be restricted across Osun from midnight on Friday as part of measures to prevent disruptions during the poll.
He said: “I would like to use this opportunity to assure citizens of Osun State that the police are on top of the game and we have everywhere covered. By 12 midnight on Friday into Saturday, we will be locking down the town. We will be stopping vehicular movement at all locations in the state.”
Speaking on security incidents recorded in the state, Iniedu said the command had not received reports of any recent killings, although previous incidents involving cult clashes and alleged politically motivated violence were being investigated.
The police boss noted: “We have not received any recent complaints of killings. But prior to this time, we had received complaints of cult clashes and some pockets of killings that were described as politically motivated.”
He explained that while investigations into some of the cases were still ongoing, others had already led to suspects being taken to court.
“The role of the police is to investigate, get details of the incidents and charge them to court. And so a few of them are under investigation, a few of them have been charged to court. But as we proceed, I will give you actual updates on the details,” the FPRO said.
