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The Commissioner of Police overseeing security for the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, CP Samuel Erale Etaifo, has warned that anyone arrested for electoral offences during the poll will be transferred to Abuja for investigation and prosecution.
Etaifo said the directive applies to all offenders, regardless of their status or political affiliation.
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Speaking on Wednesday during a briefing with police personnel at the Police Officers’ Mess in Osogbo, Etaifo urged security operatives, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, politicians, voters and other stakeholders to avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
He said his early deployment followed growing political tension and incidents of violence reported in parts of the state.
According to the police commissioner, “electoral offenders will not be processed within Osun State. 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 treated here. This is a federal election. Anybody arrested will be taken to Abuja. That’s the order,” he added.
Etaifo stressed that the law would be applied without discrimination, warning that any individual found compromising the electoral process, including police officers, politicians or members of political parties, would face appropriate legal action.
He said the objective was to ensure a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election.
The commissioner also disclosed that more than 15,000 police personnel had been deployed for the election.
He said the security arrangement includes conventional police officers, specialist units, the Police Mobile Force, medical teams and the dog section, while senior officers, including the Deputy Inspector-General of Police and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police supervising the operation, would also be present.
Explaining the reason for his early arrival in the state, Etaifo said, “As I speak with you, the total number of officers that will come for this election will be nothing less than 15,000. We were supposed to arrive here about four or five days before the election, but because of the heightened tension, the Inspector-General of Police said I should come early.”
He added that the deployment was intended to strengthen security and support the peaceful conduct of the August 15 governorship poll.
