Police Deploy 15,000 Officers, Helicopters for Osun Governorship Election

The Nigeria Police Force has mobilized over 15,000 personnel to secure the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, according to statements made Friday by Force Public Relations Officer officials at the state police command headquarters in Osogbo. A Deputy Inspector-General of Police will lead the coordinated security response, supported by 30 Commissioners of Police stationed across the state.

Aerial coverage of polling locations forms a central part of the operation. Helicopters and drones will conduct surveillance before voting begins, throughout the election day, and in the immediate aftermath.

These aircraft will monitor areas where three main candidates—Accord Party's Governor Ademola Adeleke, All Progressives Alliance contender Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress nominee Najeem Salaam—are competing for the governorship. The deployment includes Mobile Police personnel and additional security operatives distributed statewide.

Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has issued directives instructing officers to prioritize the safety of voters and the integrity of the electoral process, with particular focus on preventing vote-buying and other election-related offenses. The scale of the security presence reflects concerns common to recent Nigerian elections about maintaining order at polling stations and preventing violence.

Movement restrictions will be enforced during the voting period to support the security operation. The police have assured Osun residents that the deployment aims to guarantee both the credibility and peacefulness of the election.