By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi

The Nigeria Police Force has intensified security operations across Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, deploying helicopters, drones, Mobile Police Force personnel and other security operatives to safeguard the poll.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Okokon Iniedu, gave the assurance on Friday at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo after addressing officers deployed for the election.

Iniedu said the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had directed the police to ensure a safe, peaceful and credible election while protecting lives and property.

He also warned that the police would not tolerate vote-buying or other forms of electoral malpractice during the poll.

“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 is arrested and prosecuted immediately.

“Like the DIG even said this morning, we will treat electoral offences decisively in this election,” he said.

The police spokesperson assured voters, INEC officials and other personnel involved in the election of the neutrality of the security agencies.

“The directive of the federal police is that we conduct a secure, safe and seamless election,” he said.

Giving details of the security arrangements, Iniedu said aerial surveillance had commenced across the state, while personnel had been deployed to polling units, INEC offices and other strategic locations.

“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,” he said.

He disclosed that one unit of the Police Mobile Force had been deployed across each local government area, while two units of combat-ready armed MOPOL personnel had been assigned to protect INEC facilities and personnel.

He added that seven units of the Special Protection Unit had also been deployed to provide security during the movement of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials and protect election officials.

According to him, additional armed MOPOL personnel had been stationed at the command headquarters for rapid response, while patrol teams and checkpoints had been deployed across the state.

The FPRO said the Inspector-General had also directed the deployment of four unarmed security personnel to each polling unit.

“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.

Iniedu said the police had conducted security threat assessments across all 30 local government areas and deployed personnel according to identified risks.

He added that covert operatives would also be deployed to gather intelligence and respond to emerging threats.

“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 said.

The FPRO also announced that vehicular movement would be restricted across the state from midnight on Friday as part of measures to secure the election.

“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,” he said.

On recent security incidents in the state, Iniedu said the command had not received reports of fresh killings, but acknowledged previous cases involving cult clashes and alleged politically motivated violence.

“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 said.

He explained that investigations into some of the incidents were ongoing, while others had already resulted in charges before the courts.

“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.