Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
ADO-EKITI, Nigeria – The Supervising Deputy Inspector-General of Police for the Ekiti State governorship election, Mustapha Fayoade, has assured voters, electoral officials, and other stakeholders of adequate security before, during, and after Saturday’s poll, as the Nigeria Police Force rolls out a comprehensive security architecture to guarantee a peaceful, credible, and violence-free electoral process across the state.
Fayoade gave the assurance on Thursday evening in Ado Ekiti during an engagement with police officers and other security stakeholders ahead of the election. He said that “the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, has put in place robust security arrangements, including adequate deployment of personnel and logistics”. The Supervising DIG urged security personnel deployed for the exercise “to exhibit the highest level of professionalism, discipline, and respect for the rule of law in the discharge of their duties”. He stressed the importance of synergy, collaboration and mutual support among security agencies participating in election security operations and called on members of the public, political actors and other stakeholders to cooperate fully with security agencies and remain law-abiding.
Fayoade is being assisted in the assignment by Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Dr Olanrewaju Ogunlowo, after both senior officers were deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to oversee and coordinate security operations for the election. Reiterating the police preparedness for the poll, the Supervising DIG assured that adequate security arrangements were in place “to ensure the safety of voters, electoral officials, and election materials before, during, and after the election”.
The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the arrival of top-ranking police officers to strengthen security arrangements ahead of the poll. The Inspector-General of Police had earlier deployed Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle to Ekiti State to oversee security operations for the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026. The deployment is in line with the policing operational strategic measures approved by the IGP, aimed at providing adequate security and ensuring a peaceful and violence-free election.
Upon assumption of duty, CP Shogunle immediately strengthened the implementation of the IGP’s enforcement protocols towards ensuring adequate provision of security and robust collaboration with sister security agencies and election stakeholders. These include intelligence mapping to neutralise political violence, anti-thuggery, anti-cult-related activities, counter-misinformation campaigns, and robust planning for secured movement of electoral materials and staff engaged by INEC.
The Ekiti State Election Commissioner of Police, Dr Abayomi Shogunle, who assumed duty two days ago, had earlier assured residents that the police had put in place a multi-layered security framework to ensure a hitch-free election in the state. The police have said measures have been taken to curb voter inducement and vote-buying during the Ekiti Governorship Election.
The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Michael Falade, had earlier said over 12,000 personnel and equipment, including Armoured Personnel Carriers and gun trucks, would be deployed for the governorship election. Tactical teams, the Police Mobile Force and the Rapid Response Squad, among others, will also be deployed. However, Falade said there was no provision for state-owned security outfits, including the Amotekun Corps, Agro Rangers and local vigilante groups, to participate in election security duties.
Shogunle disclosed that no fewer than 460 flashpoints have been identified and heavily reinforced with security operatives. “The operational order approved by the Inspector-General of Police is based on a multi-layered security framework,” he said. “We have deployed more security personnel to the identified 460 flashpoints across the 16 local government areas. With the security architecture on ground, I am confident the election will be violence-free”. He added that intelligence-led threat assessments, including stakeholder input and monitoring platforms, guided the deployment strategy, with additional measures put in place for vulnerable communities.
Shogunle has vowed that security agencies will clamp down on vote buying, political thuggery and other forms of electoral violence during Saturday’s poll. He described vote buying as a criminal act that undermines democratic values and warned politicians, party agents and voters against engaging in it. The police commissioner said in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, security personnel had already been deployed to escort both sensitive and non-sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the 16 local government areas of the state.
On the challenge of financial inducement during elections, Shogunle assured residents and stakeholders that security agencies were prepared to clamp down on vote buying and other electoral offences. He said the police had already commenced extensive voter enlightenment on the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly those relating to financial inducement and vote trading. “The Act clearly outlines actions and omissions that constitute electoral offences, including vote buying and vote selling,” he said. According to him, the police have intensified public awareness efforts to ensure that voters understand that financial inducement during elections is a criminal offence punishable under the law.
Shogunle announced a restriction of vehicular movement on election day, advising voters to walk to polling units, while exempting only those on essential duties. He further assured that election materials would be fully protected from the state headquarters down to local government areas, registration areas and polling units. “We have adequate security arrangements for everyone. All 2,445 polling units and collation centres will be adequately protected,” he said. He added that police officers were already escorting election materials to local government headquarters and would continue providing security until they reached polling units.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials to the 16 local government areas of the state. The exercise began around 1:25 a.m. on Thursday at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch in Ado-Ekiti under tight security provided by the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Election observers, political party representatives and INEC officials monitored the sorting and movement of the materials, which were dispatched first to councils located farther from the state capital. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, said the process was conducted transparently in the presence of stakeholders.
The Ekiti State Governorship Election is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026. The police have assured residents of its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property and the successful conduct of a free, fair, and credible election. CP Shogunle, a fellow of the security institute, will apply his proven expertise in strategic security operations planning and election security management in ensuring a hitch-free election in Ekiti State. As the Commissioner of Police for the Anambra State Election, he led the election security operation for the November 2025 peaceful Anambra State Governorship election.
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