PSC Commends Police in Osun Poll
The Police Service Commission has praised the Nigeria Police Force for displaying professionalism, orderliness and cordiality during the Osun State governorship election held on 15 August, according to an interim monitoring report released on Sunday.
The commission said its assessment covered police conduct across Osun Central, Osun East and Osun West senatorial districts, drawing on field observations from polling units in all 30 local government areas of the state. Monitors evaluated deployment levels, adherence to election duty guidelines, inter-agency cooperation and the general behaviour of officers on the ground.
Police deployment was described as adequate and strategic, with an average of four officers assigned to each polling unit. Osun Central recorded an average of three officers per unit, while Osun East and Osun West each averaged five.
Personnel from other security and safety agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Federal Fire Service, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Nigeria Correctional Service, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and the Defence Intelligence Agency, were also present at various polling units and the Election Joint Operations Control Room. The commission said inter-agency collaboration was cordial and contributed significantly to the peaceful conduct of the election.
DIG (Dr) Taiwo Lakanu (rtd), who led the PSC monitoring team, expressed satisfaction with the performance of police personnel. He specifically commended Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu for an effective deployment strategy that included the appointment of DIG Isyaku Mohammed, Ph.D, as the Election DIG and CP Samuel Erale Etaifo as the Election CP. The presence of experienced officers, Lakanu said, helped ensure the election proceeded successfully.
Across the three senatorial districts, officers were generally observed to be professional, courteous, approachable and orderly. They responded appropriately to inquiries from the monitoring teams. “Overall, the Nigeria Police Force exhibited a high level of professionalism, orderliness and cordiality during the election,” the PSC stated in its report.
The commission indicated that it would continue to exercise oversight to ensure officers deployed for electoral duties maintain established professional standards.
