Osun Election: Police Break Silence On Why Officers Are Still In The State

The Nigeria Police Force has explained why officers deployed for the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election have remained in the state weeks after the election.

The Force said the continued presence of the personnel is part of its established post-election security deployment aimed at maintaining peace, preventing possible violence and responding to emerging security threats.

The clarification was issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, following reports alleging that some of the officers had been left in Osun under difficult conditions without adequate food and welfare provisions.

According to the police spokesperson, the officers were deliberately retained as part of measures to ensure a smooth transition from election-related security operations to regular policing.

Iniedu explained that the duration of the deployment would depend on prevailing operational and security requirements rather than a fixed timeline.

The Force also rejected allegations that the personnel had been abandoned or denied proper welfare. It maintained that all officers deployed for the election had received their approved entitlements and that the relevant command structures remained responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment.

The police further described claims portraying the continued deployment as institutional neglect as misleading, warning that such reports could negatively affect the morale of personnel and public confidence in security operations.

The Force reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of its officers and said personnel would continue to be strategically deployed to areas where their presence is required to protect lives and property and maintain public order.

The police also appealed to media organisations and reporting platforms to verify information, particularly claims attributed to unnamed sources, before publishing reports that could mislead the public or interfere with security operations.