Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Police Force has found itself at the centre of a heated controversy, forced to defend its decision to keep hundreds of officers deployed for the August 15 Osun State governorship election stationed in the state weeks after the poll. While the Force insists the continued presence is a necessary post-election security measure, a chorus of reports from inside the ranks paints a grim picture of abandonment, poor feeding, and harsh living conditions.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 4, 2026, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, pushed back against reports that had circulated in sections of the media, which alleged that personnel drawn from as many as 50 Police Mobile Force squadrons were being kept in camps under "terrible conditions" with little to do and inadequate food. The Force described the reports as misleading and a misrepresentation of operational realities.
"The Nigeria Police Force has noted a recent publication alleging that hundreds of police personnel deployed to Osun State for the August 15, 2026 Governorship Election have remained there for weeks under harsh conditions, lacking adequate food and basic welfare provisions," Iniedu stated. He clarified that the continued presence of the personnel was part of "established post-election deployment procedures" designed to "sustain security, prevent post-election violence, address emerging threats, and ensure a smooth transition to normal policing".
The Force flatly rejected claims that the officers had been abandoned. "All officers deployed for the election have received their approved entitlements, and command structures remain responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment," Iniedu said. He urged the media to verify claims, particularly those attributed to unnamed sources, before publishing reports that could undermine public confidence in the Force.
However, the official denial stands in stark contrast to the accounts given by officers on the ground. Sources within the Force told SaharaReporters that the situation was "disturbing". The officers, who were deployed from various parts of the country, reportedly found themselves stranded in camps, with little to no operational activity after their election duties ended.
"There are disturbing developments that officers of the Nigeria Police Force drawn from as many as 50 Mobile Police squadrons and deployed to Osun State are still being kept there weeks after the governorship election," one source said. Another source described the conditions as dire, alleging that the officers were "practically camped under terrible conditions, poorly fed and left sitting around with little or nothing to do". Some of the personnel were reportedly stranded in the Gbongan area of the state.
The allegations have raised serious questions about why a substantial number of security personnel deployed specifically for the election have not been withdrawn weeks after the conclusion of the exercise. Ahead of the poll, the Nigeria Police Force had announced a massive security operation, deploying more than 15,000 officers across the state's 30 local government areas to provide security. The deployment included personnel from the Police Mobile Force and other specialised units, with a Deputy Inspector-General of Police deployed to coordinate the operations.
The scale of the deployment was confirmed by independent election observers. The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room reported that 15,000 police personnel were deployed for the election, alongside 10,210 personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and 100 officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. In total, more than 25,000 personnel from various security agencies were deployed across Osun State to provide security for the poll.
The security agencies had assured residents before the election that the massive deployment was intended to provide a secure environment for voters, electoral officials, and other stakeholders. However, sources familiar with the post-election situation alleged that a significant number of the officers deployed for the poll remained in Osun after the exercise, with some facing poor feeding and inadequate welfare. The allegations have also sparked broader concerns about the treatment of security personnel and the management of large-scale deployments.
The controversy has not gone unnoticed by public figures. Nigerian music star Davido, whose uncle Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner of the election, mocked the Nigeria Police Force over the reports, suggesting that the officers were being kept in the state because the police "couldn't rig the election". While Davido's comments were laced with sarcasm, they reflect the growing public skepticism surrounding the police's handling of the situation.
The Osun State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, had not responded to requests for comments on the allegations as of the time of the initial reports. The Nigeria Police Force has also not publicly explained why some personnel deployed for the election are allegedly still in Osun weeks after the poll.
The August 15 election saw incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party retain his seat. He polled 511,067 votes against 444,815 for All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji. The result was declared after Adeleke won in 19 local government areas to Oyebamiji's 11.
As the debate rages on, the Nigeria Police Force finds itself in a precarious position, trying to balance the need for post-election security with the welfare of its officers. The Force's insistence that the deployment is standard procedure may do little to quell the anger of officers who feel abandoned, or the concerns of a public that is increasingly questioning the competence and integrity of its security institutions. For the officers still stranded in Osun, the question is not one of procedure, but of basic humanity: when will they be allowed to go home?
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