Osun Poll: Trouble For Vote-Buyers As Police Declare ‘War’

The police and other security services, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have declared war on vote-buyers and developed plans to thwart their activities ahead of the governorship election in Osun State on Saturday.

The security services have sent detectives, including undercover operatives, to watch the election and detain vote-buyers to stop electoral malpractices.

Additionally, soldiers, the Civil Defense Corps, and the Amotekun Corps will be deployed to support the police force.

Vote-buying has been a blot on the integrity of recent elections in the country as voters are heavily induced by agents of political parties at the polling booths to skew the outcome of the polls in favour of the highest spender.

Speaking with PUNCH on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, explained the police plan against vote-buying saying that the force will not tolerate any electoral fraud during the Osun election.

He explained that to reduce the instances of vote-buying, the police would use the Federal Intelligence Bureau, the Tactical Corps, and the Special Forces.

According to the Nigeria Police Force website, www.npf.gov.ng, the Federal Intelligence Bureau is the apex of intelligence gathering in the Force. It is the only arm of the Force that provides intelligence on crime and national security.

When asked if the police would send undercover agents to observe the election and detain those buying votes, the force spokesman said that the Force Intelligence Bureau would be there.

He said: “The FIB operatives are there, Tactical Corps have been deployed to Osun, including my department-Public Relations Department. So every unit and sector of the department of police is involved.

“Don’t forget that we have the Electoral Offences Desk officer who happens to be the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of CID in Osun state. He will collate and investigate all electoral offences. They are there to do their job while we appeal to the people of the state to be calm and law-abiding.”