Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tunji Disu has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will remain professional, impartial and apolitical before, during and after the August 15 governorship election in Osun State. He said the force has no preferred candidate or political party. Instead, it will focus on protecting the credibility of the electoral process.
Disu gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja when representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), led by CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Rafsanjani, paid him a courtesy visit.
IGP promises impartial policing
The IGP said the meeting reflected the shared commitment of the police and civil society groups to ensuring a peaceful and credible election. He also acknowledged concerns over election security, voter intimidation, political violence and the neutrality of security agencies. According to him, the police have already addressed many of those concerns by strengthening security arrangements ahead of the governorship poll.
Introducing the assurance, Disu said:
“I want to assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force has taken these concerns seriously and has put in place comprehensive security arrangements for the election.”
He added that the police have no political interest in the election.
“We have no candidate, no political party and no vested interest in the outcome of the election other than ensuring that the lawful choice of the people prevails.”
Police deploy personnel across Osun
Disu said the police have reminded officers assigned to election duties of their constitutional responsibility. Therefore, they will enforce the law without fear or favour throughout the election period. He also disclosed that the force had deployed adequate personnel and operational assets across Osun State. In addition, officers have intensified intelligence gathering and threat assessments to identify potential threats before they escalate.
Electoral offenders face sanctions
The IGP said the police are working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and other stakeholders. According to him, the collaboration will strengthen security coordination before and during the election. He warned that the force would not tolerate vote buying, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching or other electoral offences.
“Anyone found engaging in vote buying, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, thuggery or any other electoral offence will be dealt with in accordance with the law, irrespective of political affiliation or status.”
Political parties urged to shun violence
Disu urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly throughout the election period. He stressed that elections should remain contests of ideas rather than violence. Furthermore, he said no political ambition is worth the loss of any Nigerian life. He urged political leaders to discourage violence among their supporters and respect the rule of law.
The IGP also encouraged residents to vote without fear.
“Do not allow yourselves to be intimidated by rumours, misinformation or the actions of a few individuals who seek to undermine the democratic process.”
He advised voters to report suspicious activities to security personnel immediately.
CSOs seek stronger collaboration
Earlier, CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Rafsanjani said the visit aimed to strengthen collaboration between civil society organisations and the police. He noted that political tensions ahead of the Osun governorship election had increased public concern over voter safety. According to him, civil society groups will continue supporting security agencies to ensure peaceful, free and credible elections.
Yiaga Africa highlights public expectations
Yiaga Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo said civil society organisations had monitored developments surrounding the Osun governorship election through incident tracking, public perception surveys and pre-election observation.
He added that the Osun poll provides an opportunity to strengthen public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections. Therefore, he urged the police and other security agencies to remain neutral throughout the electoral process.
“Our purpose here today is to share principal election security risks that are emerging from our observation and building up to the Osun elections.”
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