Armed military personnel have assumed security control at the Osun State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo, days before Saturday’s governorship election scheduled for August 15. The transition occurred Monday as security preparations intensified across the state.
Fully armed soldiers were stationed at the INEC headquarters, reinforced by three Armoured Personnel Carriers deployed to the premises. A security source close to the commission said the soldiers arrived Sunday and assumed full security responsibilities Monday morning. Prior to the military deployment, anti-riot mobile policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had been responsible for security at the facility.
“They arrived yesterday (Sunday), but their numbers increased today (Monday),” the source said. “The soldiers are in charge now, but all other security personnel are at their duty posts too. In the next few days, the police and Civil Defence personnel will join.” The source confirmed the three Armoured Personnel Carriers were brought in by the military as part of the security arrangements.
Meanwhile, INEC said it had completed most of its preparations for Saturday’s poll. Osun State INEC Public Relations Officer Musa Olurode disclosed that the commission was fully prepared. “Out of the 13 activities on the timeline of activities for the election, we have exhausted 12 and the last one is the day of the election,” he said. According to Olurode, sensitive electoral materials would be distributed to the various local government areas on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s election.
The heightened security deployment underscores the significance of the upcoming governorship contest in Osun State. Electoral preparations remain on schedule with the final phase of material distribution set for Thursday, positioning the commission for the August 15 poll.
