Police deny neglecting officers deployed for Osun election

The Nigeria Police Force has pushed back against reports that hundreds of officers sent to Osun State for the Aug. 15, 2026, governorship election were left for weeks in harsh conditions without enough food or basic welfare provisions.

The force said the officers’ continued presence in Osun followed established post-election security procedures. It said the length of the deployment depended on operational and security needs, including preventing post-election violence, responding to emerging threats and ensuring a smooth return to normal policing.

Reports citing internal sources said personnel from as many as 50 Police Mobile Force squadrons remained in the state after election duties ended. Some officers were reportedly staying in difficult conditions, including around Gbongan, with limited food, basic supplies and little operational activity.

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The Force rejects claims that personnel have been abandoned or subjected to inadequate welfare. All officers deployed for the election have received their approved entitlements, and command structures remain responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment.

CSP Ani Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer at police headquarters in Abuja, rejected the allegations in a statement issued on Friday. “The Force rejects claims that personnel have been abandoned or subjected to inadequate welfare. All officers deployed for the election have received their approved entitlements, and command structures remain responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment,” the statement said.

The police also objected to describing the deployment as institutional neglect. “Portraying a planned post-election security deployment as institutional neglect is misleading. Such reporting misrepresents operational realities and may undermine personnel morale and public confidence in the Force,” it said. The force said it would continue deploying officers where necessary to protect lives and property and maintain public peace.

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Portraying a planned post-election security deployment as institutional neglect is misleading. Such reporting misrepresents operational realities and may undermine personnel morale and public confidence in the Force.