Osun Poll: Police Mobilise Special Units, Drones for Tight Security
By Adewale Owoade
The Nigeria Police Force has assured residents of Osun State of adequate security before, during and after Saturday’s governorship election.
The Force said it had deployed personnel and resources across the state to ensure a peaceful, free and credible election.
The assurance was given during a press briefing at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo.
The briefing was addressed by CSP Anie Edem Iniedu (NIPR), Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) of the Nigeria Police Force.
Iniedu said the police remained neutral in the election, adding that its primary responsibility was to maintain peace and ensure compliance with electoral laws.
“The only candidate the Nigeria Police Force supports is peace. We have no option but to remain neutral. Our role is to maintain peace before, during and after the election. We have met with all stakeholders and assured them of our neutrality and commitment, while also warning them to abide by the law.
“We have been receiving positive feedback concerning the deployment of electoral materials. For now, we have recorded no incidents. If there are any issues, we will let you know.
“The directive of the Nigeria Police Force is to ensure a free, fair, safe and seamless election.
The FPRO said the police air component and drone units had also been deployed to the state to conduct surveillance patrols.
According to him, one unit of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) has been deployed to each of the 30 local government areas in the state.
He said the operations would be coordinated by commissioners and deputy commissioners of police deployed for the election.
“At the INEC, we have two units of combat-ready armed personnel. We also have seven units of the Special Protection Unit, which will be responsible for securing sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials, as well as electoral officers. In addition, we have two units of armed mobile personnel for quick response.
“All security agencies are working together, so the deployment is being carried out in sync. The Inspector-General of Police has also deployed personnel to polling units. Osun State has over 3,700 polling units, and we have four law enforcement personnel deployed to each polling unit.
Iniedu urged residents and all stakeholders to comply with electoral laws and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a peaceful and orderly election.
“I would like to tell the people of Osun State that the state is well covered by the police, and we are on top of our game, All locations in Osun State will be covered.
“We will also appeal to parents and guardians to ensure that underage children are not used for underage voting or any form of violence or thuggery. We encourage eligible voters to come out and exercise their franchise peacefully.
The FPRO cautioned political actors and their supporters against actions capable of disrupting the election