Ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has barred the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, as well as other quasi-security groups and private security organisations from participating in election-security duties.
Disu also reaffirmed the ban on armed escorts, security aides and other unauthorised persons accompanying political figures or VIPs to polling units and collation centres on election day.
The IGP warned political actors, their supporters and other potential troublemakers that electoral offences, including ballot snatching, voter intimidation and political thuggery, would attract immediate arrest and prosecution.
“State-established security outfits, quasi-security groups, and private security organisations are equally barred from election-security duties, consistent with established NPF election-security directives,” Disu said in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.
Meanwhile, the IGP has deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ishyaku Mohammed to Osun State to coordinate security operations for the election.
The deployment is part of the Nigeria Police Force’s measures to ensure a peaceful, secure and credible electoral process across the state.
Mohammed is expected to coordinate the police component of the election-security arrangements and work with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He will be supported by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police deployed across the state’s three senatorial districts to supervise operations, strengthen intelligence-led policing and ensure a prompt response to emerging security threats.
The police said adequate security arrangements had been put in place to protect voters, INEC officials, election materials, polling units, collation centres, accredited observers and media practitioners before, during and after the election.
The Force reassured residents, voters and visitors to Osun State of adequate security and urged eligible citizens to exercise their civic rights peacefully and without fear.
It reiterated its commitment to professionalism, neutrality, respect for human rights and the protection of the electoral process.
