Osun 2026: Akwa Ibom CP Azare Warns Deployed Officers Against Misconduct, Demands Strict Neutrality!
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, has warned police officers from the command deployed for special election duties in Osun State against misconduct, political interference and any action capable of undermining the credibility of the August 15 governorship election.
Azare’s warning comes at a critical stage of preparations for the Osun governorship poll, with heightened attention on the conduct of security personnel expected to provide protection for voters, electoral officials, candidates, party agents and other stakeholders before, during and after voting.
The Akwa Ibom police commissioner reportedly directed the officers to maintain professionalism, discipline and political neutrality throughout their assignment, stressing that their responsibility is to protect the electoral process rather than serve the interests of any political party or candidate.
Leadership reported the development, quoting the commissioner as warning the Akwa Ibom contingents deployed to Osun to remain neutral and conduct themselves in accordance with the law. (Leadership)
The directive is particularly significant because security agencies play a central role in creating the environment in which citizens can exercise their constitutional right to vote freely. In an election where public confidence in security institutions can influence voter participation and perceptions of the outcome, the conduct of individual officers may become as important as the deployment itself.
Security neutrality under scrutiny
The warning from Azare comes against the backdrop of continuing public and political debate over the neutrality of security agencies ahead of the Osun election.
In July, the Accord Party and the Osun State Police Command traded accusations over the conduct and neutrality of security operatives in the state. The party alleged selective enforcement and political bias, while the police rejected the allegations and reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, impartiality and the rule of law. (Vanguard News)
The dispute illustrates why directives to officers deployed from outside the state have become important in the final days before the election. Officers arriving from other commands are expected to operate within established rules and under the overall election-security framework rather than become involved in local political disputes.
Civil society organisations have also placed neutrality at the centre of their demands. A coalition of organisations, including the Centre for Media and Society, ElectHer, International Press Centre, Nigeria Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre and Yiaga Africa, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the police to maintain strict neutrality ahead of the poll. (Vanguard News)
The concerns are not limited to Osun. Nigeria’s electoral history has repeatedly demonstrated that the perceived conduct of security personnel can influence public confidence in an election. Consequently, security agencies are expected to protect the process without becoming part of political competition.
INEC moves to reinforce neutrality
The Independent National Electoral Commission has separately announced measures aimed at strengthening the neutrality of security personnel assigned to the Osun election.
According to reports by Punch, INEC said all security personnel deployed for the August 15 governorship election would take an oath of neutrality. The commission also said security personnel would undergo training ahead of the election to improve their understanding of their responsibilities during the exercise. (Punch Newspapers)
The move reflects the wider institutional emphasis on ensuring that security operatives understand the limits of their responsibilities. Their role includes maintaining order, protecting election officials and materials, preventing violence and responding to criminal activity, but they are not expected to determine electoral outcomes or favour political actors.
For voters, the distinction is crucial. Security presence around polling units should provide reassurance rather than intimidation. Officers must therefore exercise restraint, particularly when dealing with political supporters, protesters, party agents and other citizens whose activities may generate tension.
Police deployment and the scale of the operation
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026, and security preparations have intensified as the poll approaches.
Reports indicate that the Nigeria Police Force plans to deploy a substantial number of personnel across the state. Punch reported that the police planned to deploy at least four officers to each polling unit, forming part of a broader security operation intended to protect voters and election personnel. (Facebook)
The scale of the deployment underscores the importance of clear operational instructions. Large numbers of personnel can help prevent electoral violence and protect sensitive materials, but only when officers act within the law and under consistent command structures.
The deployment of personnel from Akwa Ibom and other states is also intended to reinforce security capacity and reduce the possibility that officers with strong local affiliations could compromise the perception of impartiality. Regardless of their state of origin, however, all officers remain subject to the Constitution, electoral laws, police regulations and operational directives governing election security.
Why Azare’s warning matters
Azare’s directive is therefore more than an internal administrative instruction. It speaks directly to one of the most important expectations surrounding the Osun election: that security personnel should serve the electorate and the electoral process rather than political interests.
The commissioner has previously emphasised professionalism and ethical leadership within the Akwa Ibom Command. In June, Punch reported that he urged senior officers to promote mentorship, discipline, ethical conduct, accountability and respect for human rights as part of efforts to build a more professional police institution. (Punch Newspapers)
That emphasis is relevant to the Osun deployment, where individual decisions by officers could have consequences beyond the immediate polling location. An officer who improperly intimidates a voter, interferes with a party agent, assists a political actor or uses excessive force could undermine confidence in the broader electoral process.
Conversely, disciplined and impartial policing can help reduce tensions, protect vulnerable voters and create the conditions necessary for election officials to perform their duties without interference.
The wider responsibility of security agencies
The responsibility for a credible election does not rest solely with the police. INEC remains responsible for administering the election, while political parties and candidates have obligations to respect electoral laws and avoid actions capable of provoking violence.
Security agencies, however, occupy a unique position because they are empowered to respond directly to threats at polling units, collation centres and other sensitive locations.
This makes neutrality essential. Security officers must distinguish between legitimate political activity and conduct that violates the law, while ensuring that enforcement decisions are based on evidence and established procedures rather than political pressure or partisan considerations.
The Osun Police Command has previously maintained that arrests and investigations should be evidence-based and not driven by political statements or social media allegations. (Vanguard News)
A test of institutional credibility
As Osun approaches the August 15 election, the attention on security personnel is likely to remain intense. Political parties, civil society organisations, election observers and voters will be watching not only the results but also the conduct of security agencies throughout the process.
Azare’s warning places the Akwa Ibom contingents on notice that their performance will be judged against the standards of professionalism, neutrality and lawful conduct expected of officers assigned to election duties.
For the officers deployed to Osun, the immediate priority is therefore clear: protect lives, safeguard electoral materials, maintain public order, respect citizens’ rights and remain politically neutral.
Ultimately, the credibility of the election will depend on whether all institutions involved can perform their respective responsibilities without fear or favour. For security personnel, that means ensuring that every eligible voter can approach the ballot box without intimidation and that every legitimate vote is protected within the framework of the law.
With the poll only days away, Azare’s warning reinforces a central message for the security operation: the police are there to secure the election, not to shape its outcome.
Sources
- Leadership Newspaper — “Be Neutral, CP Warns Akwa Ibom Police Contingents to Osun Poll”
- Punch Newspapers — “Osun 2026: INEC Orders Neutrality Oath for Security Forces”
- Vanguard — “Osun Election: CSOs Urge INEC, Police to Ensure Neutrality, Credible Poll”
- Vanguard — “Osun Poll: Accord Party, Police Differ Over Officers’ Neutrality”
- The Nation — “Accord, Police Bicker Over Officers’ Neutrality”
- Punch Newspapers — “A’Ibom CP Urges Senior Officers to Mentor Next Generation of Leaders”
