Osun Guber: 15,000 Police Officers To Be Deployed For August 15 Poll — CP Etaifo

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the August 15 Osun governorship election, Samuel Etaifo, has said no fewer than 15,000 operatives will be deployed for the poll.

Etaifo disclosed this in Osogbo, Osun State on Wednesday during a meeting with police personnel deployed for the election.

He said the deployment will include conventional policemen, specialists, the dog section, medical team and the Police Mobile Force, PMF.

According to him, a Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, and an Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, will also be in the state to oversee the exercise.

“As I speak with you the total number of officers that will come for this election should be nothing less than 15,000. This includes conventional policemen, specialists, dog section, medical, PMF. The DIG and AIG in charge of these operations are coming,” he said.

“I will be the CP in charge of the election. That is why the IGP has deployed me here. We are supposed to arrive here about four or five days before the election but because of the heightened tension the IGP said I should come earlier.”

Etaifo said some personnel had earlier been deployed to the state following an escalation of violence ahead of the poll.

He urged officers on duty to uphold high ethical standards and act within the ambit of the law.

He warned that anyone caught trying to disrupt the conduct of a free and fair election, regardless of status, would face the full weight of the law.

*“Arrested Violators Will Be Moved To Abuja”*

The CP said anyone arrested during the election would be moved to Abuja for prosecution, noting that the governorship poll is a national event.

“Arrested violators of electoral laws will be moved straight to Abuja. No one arrested here in Osun during the course or after the election will be taken to any state command. This election is a federal government election. Anybody arrested will be taken to Abuja. That’s the order,” Etaifo stated.

Electorate in Osun State will go to the polls on August 15 to elect a governor.

Fourteen candidates, including the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, are contesting in the election.