Osun: INEC distributes election materials amid tight security

The police have tightened security arrangement around the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo ahead of the governorship election holding in the state on Saturday.


There was a high number of security personnel on Thursday as the commission began the distribution of sensitive election materials to the INEC offices in the 30 local government areas of the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, told our correspondent on the telephone that election materials had been distributed to the local government areas in readiness for the Saturday election.

The REC said, “The election materials have all been transported to the local government areas. We started distributing them this morning and we completed it this evening. They have all been moved and they are all at the local government including smart card readers. They are being watched by security men and nothing can tamper with them.

“We are ready for the Saturday election and we want to assure everybody that the election will be credible and security operatives would ensure that it is violence-free as well.”

Our correspondent, who visited the INEC office on Thursday, observed the heavy presence of armed policemen including members of the Counter Terrorism Unit. The armed security operatives positioned themselves strategically around the INEC building to avoid any attack on the building.

The security arrangement around the Central Bank of Nigeria, where the sensitive election materials were kept before they were moved to INEC offices in each of the 30 local government areas, was also tight.

The Police CTU built a barricade in front of the INEC headquarters in Osogbo while members of the unit also built a shed from where they watched and control access to the place.