The Commissioner of Police in charge of the August 15 Osun governorship election, Samuel Etaifo, has said about 15,000 operatives will be on duty during the polls.
Etaifo disclosed this in Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday, while responding to questions from journalists at a meeting he held with police personnel deployed for the election.
The CP said the operatives would include conventional policemen, specialists, dog section, medical and Police Mobile Force.
He also said a Deputy Inspector General of Police and an Assistant Inspector General of Police will also supervise the election.
“As I speak with you, the total number of officers that will come for this election, we should be expecting nothing less than 15,000.
“This includes conventional policemen, specialists, dog section, medical, PMF. The DIG and AIG in charge of this operation are coming.
“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, being the junior officer,” Etaifo said.
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He added that some personnel had earlier been deployed to the state following escalation of violence.
He urged personnel who will be on duty to uphold high ethical standards and act within the ambit of the law.
He declared that anyone caught acting in a way that would prevent the conduct of a free and fair election, regardless of position, would be made to face full consequences of his action.
He further said anyone arrested during the poll will be moved to Abuja, noting that the election is a national event.
“Arrested violators of electoral laws will be moved straight to Abuja.
“Anyone arrested here in Osun during the course or after the election will be taken to Abuja. This election is a Federal Government election, so anybody arrested will be taken to Abuja. That’s the order,” the CP said.
Electorate in Osun State will be going to the poll on August 15 to elect a governor in an election where 14 candidates, including the governor, Ademola Adeleke, will be participating.
