Reported Simon Daniel Yusuph l journalist at wengglobal
The Nigeria Police Force has barred the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch organisations and other non-state security outfits from participating in official security operations for the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The directive, issued by the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 11 Headquarters in Osogbo, places responsibility for election security before, during and after the poll on the police and other constitutionally recognised security agencies.
The decision comes just days before Osun voters are scheduled to elect a governor and amid heightened attention to security arrangements surrounding the closely watched poll. The police said the restriction is intended to prevent unauthorised groups from assuming security responsibilities, interfering with electoral activities or creating uncertainty over who has legitimate authority to enforce the law on election day. (Western Post)
In a statement issued by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ojedele Tunji, the police said personnel deployed for election duties must be properly identified and dressed in approved official uniforms.
The command also warned individuals and groups against engaging in unauthorised security operations, crowd control or activities capable of intimidating voters, electoral officials and other stakeholders.
The directive effectively places a clear boundary between constitutionally recognised security agencies and state-based or community-oriented security organisations that may ordinarily operate within Osun’s communities.
Police insist on constitutionally recognised security agencies
The police position is that election security must be coordinated through agencies with clearly established legal mandates.
According to the statement, only constitutionally recognised security agencies are authorised to participate in official election-security operations. Amotekun, vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch organisations, political organisations and other unauthorised bodies are therefore not permitted to provide crowd control, perform security duties or interfere with the electoral process. (Western Post)
The distinction is significant because elections create security demands that extend beyond conventional policing. Campaign rallies, polling stations, collation centres, movement of electoral materials and the protection of voters can require large deployments of security personnel.
By establishing a single framework for authorised election security, the police are seeking to minimise the possibility of conflicting commands or the presence of individuals whose identity and mandate may be difficult for voters and electoral officials to establish.
The police have also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to comply with the directive and cooperate with personnel deployed for the election.
The command said anyone found violating the Electoral Act or other applicable laws would be arrested and prosecuted.
Amotekun’s role in Osun security
The decision is particularly noteworthy because Amotekun is an established security organisation in Osun State and across the South-West.
The Western Nigeria Security Network was established by the South-West states as a regional security initiative, with its activities focused on supporting community security and addressing crimes such as kidnapping, robbery and other threats.
Osun has continued to develop its own Amotekun structure. In March 2025, the Osun State Government announced the expansion of the corps, including additional personnel, enhanced training, operational equipment and logistical support. Governor Ademola Adeleke said the reforms were designed to strengthen the service’s capacity and improve security across the state. (Osun State Official Website)
The state government has also appointed senior former police officers to leadership positions within the organisation. In 2024, Adeleke appointed retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Wale Abbas as chairman of the Osun Amotekun Corps and retired Chief Superintendent of Police Isaac Adekunle Omoyele as Corps Commander. (Osun State Official Website)
Those developments underline the unusual position Amotekun occupies within Nigeria’s security landscape: it is a state-supported regional security structure, but it is not part of the Nigeria Police Force.
That distinction becomes particularly important during an election, when the question of who has authority to perform policing functions is more sensitive.
Security directive follows heightened election preparations
The police announcement comes as political parties and electoral stakeholders prepare for the August 15 governorship election.
The contest has attracted considerable national attention, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking another term and opposition parties campaigning to take control of the state.
Security is consequently expected to be one of the major operational considerations for the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties and voters.
The police have assured residents that adequate arrangements are being made to provide security throughout the election period. The command has also appealed to citizens to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security personnel and INEC officials. (Western Post)
The objective is not simply to prevent violence.
Election security also encompasses the protection of polling personnel, electoral materials, accredited observers and journalists, as well as ensuring that eligible voters can reach polling units and cast their ballots without intimidation.
The police said its measures are intended to allow voters to exercise their constitutional rights freely and without fear.
Why the ban matters
The exclusion of Amotekun and other non-state security outfits raises broader questions about Nigeria’s evolving security architecture.
Nigeria’s conventional security system remains heavily centralised, while states and communities have increasingly created or supported local security arrangements to address threats that they believe require closer knowledge of local terrain and communities.
Amotekun is one of the most prominent examples of this trend.
Academic research has described the organisation as a regional security innovation created in response to perceived limitations in Nigeria’s centralised policing structure. Research on Amotekun has also identified operational and governance questions surrounding the relationship between federal security agencies and state-level security initiatives. (journal.kiut.ac.tz)
The Osun election directive illustrates one of those questions in practical terms.
During normal circumstances, Amotekun personnel may conduct operations under their established mandate. During an election, however, the police are asserting that official electoral security must remain under constitutionally recognised agencies.
That does not necessarily mean Amotekun personnel cease all lawful activities unrelated to election security. Rather, the police directive specifically concerns participation in security operations connected to the poll.
For voters, the distinction is important. The public should not assume that every person wearing a security-related uniform or claiming to be protecting an election has official authority.
Uniforms and identification become critical
The police have specifically directed election-duty personnel to wear approved uniforms and carry proper identification.
That requirement is significant because the presence of multiple security organisations can create confusion during a tense electoral environment.
Clear identification enables voters, electoral officials and observers to distinguish authorised security personnel from individuals or groups acting outside the approved security framework.
The issue has already attracted attention in Osun beyond the current election directive. In July 2026, TVC News reported the arrest of the Director of Operations of the Osun Amotekun Corps, Joseph Olagunju, following an incident in Osogbo in which police reportedly found police clothing and weapons in a vehicle associated with him. The police said the incident was being examined, while Amotekun officials indicated that they would respond after establishing the facts. (TVC News)
That incident should not automatically be interpreted as the reason for the election directive, because the police announcement does not state that the restriction was introduced as a consequence of that case.
However, it demonstrates why questions of uniforms, weapons, identification and jurisdiction can become especially sensitive during an election.
Protecting voters from intimidation
At the centre of the police directive is the issue of voter confidence.
Elections require citizens to believe that they can participate without being intimidated by political supporters, unofficial security personnel or other groups.
The police warned that anyone attempting to intimidate voters, electoral officials or other stakeholders would face legal consequences. (Western Post)
That warning applies across political lines.
Election security cannot be effective if enforcement is perceived as selectively applied to one party or candidate. The credibility of the security operation will therefore depend not only on the number of personnel deployed but also on impartiality, professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.
Security agencies will be expected to distinguish between legitimate political activity and conduct that constitutes intimidation, violence, obstruction or other electoral offences.
The role of INEC and security agencies
The Independent National Electoral Commission remains responsible for conducting the election, while security agencies provide the environment necessary for the electoral process to take place safely.
The two functions are distinct but closely connected.
Security personnel are not expected to determine electoral outcomes or interfere with voting procedures. Their role is to protect people and electoral infrastructure, maintain public order and respond to violations of the law.
The police have therefore called on political parties, candidates and the public to cooperate with INEC and authorised security personnel.
This coordination will be particularly important on election day, when polling units become gathering points for voters, party agents, journalists, observers and electoral officials.
Any unnecessary confrontation between security personnel and civilians could undermine public confidence and create avoidable tension.
Broader implications for Nigeria’s security architecture
The Osun directive also feeds into the larger national conversation about policing and security responsibilities.
Nigeria has faced persistent debates over whether policing should remain primarily under federal control or whether states should have greater responsibility for local law enforcement.
The existence of Amotekun and similar community-based security initiatives reflects the demand for security structures that understand local environments.
At the same time, elections present unique constitutional and legal considerations.
The police’s decision in Osun demonstrates the importance of clearly defining the responsibilities of federal security agencies, state-supported security organisations and community vigilantes, particularly when political competition is intense.
A lack of clarity can create overlapping chains of command, while excessive fragmentation can make accountability more difficult.
For the public, the most important principle is that every security operation connected with an election should have a clearly identifiable legal basis.
What the directive means for August 15
With the election approaching, the police directive provides political parties and security stakeholders with a clear operational message: Amotekun, vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch organisations and other non-state security outfits are not authorised to perform official election-security duties.
The police have urged all political actors to respect the directive and avoid actions that could disrupt voting.
For voters, the message is equally important.
Citizens should report suspicious or unauthorised security activities to the appropriate authorities rather than engaging directly with individuals or groups claiming enforcement powers.
The success of the election will ultimately depend on several factors, including effective electoral administration, peaceful political conduct, voter participation and professional security operations.
Osun’s political contest is expected to attract substantial public attention, but the credibility of the process will depend on whether voters can participate freely and whether all parties accept the rules governing the poll.
For WengGlobal, the police decision represents more than a pre-election security instruction. It is a reminder of the continuing need for clear legal boundaries within Nigeria’s increasingly complex security environment.
Amotekun remains an important part of the security conversation in the South-West, but the Osun election directive makes clear that election-day security will be led by constitutionally recognised agencies.
As Osun heads to the polls on August 15, the immediate priority will be to ensure that security arrangements protect voters rather than become another source of political tension. The credibility of the election will depend, in part, on whether those entrusted with maintaining order can do so impartially, transparently and within the law.
Sources
- Western Post — Report on the Nigeria Police Force’s directive excluding Amotekun, vigilantes and other unauthorised security groups from Osun election security operations. (Western Post)
- Osun State Government — Official information on Amotekun recruitment, training and expansion in Osun State. (Osun State Official Website)
- Osun State Government — Official announcement on the appointment of senior former police officers to lead the Osun Amotekun Corps. (Osun State Official Website)
- TVC News — Report on the July 2026 arrest of the Osun Amotekun Director of Operations in Osogbo. (TVC News)
- East African Journal of Law, Policy and Globalization — Academic analysis of Amotekun, federalism and Nigeria’s security architecture. (journal.kiut.ac.tz)
