Ahead of the August 15 governorship poll in Osun state, the designated Commissioner of Police in charge of the exercise, Samuel Erale Etaifo, Wednesday, disclosed that no fewer than 15,000 police personnel have been deployed to the state.

The police chief added that the deployed personnel include conventional police officers as well as specialists and other units such as dog section, medical personnel, PMF and that the DIG and AIG overseeing the operations are also expected to be involved.

Etaifo said his earlier redeployment for the exercise followed tension and violence, which according to him, had led to attacks and gruesome killings in parts of the state.

Speaking during a session with deployed officers at the Police Officers Mess in Osogbo, Etaifo cautioned the personnel against any conduct that could compromise the election.

He said anyone caught undermining a free and fair election, whether a police officer, political actors, or members of any political party, would be dealt with under the law.

Etaifo stated that violators of electoral laws would be moved straight to Abuja, and that no one arrested in Osun during or after the election would be taken elsewhere first. 

He said the order applies because the election is being treated as a federal government election.

Etaifo said he would be the CP in charge of the election, noting that the IGP deployed him for that role.

…Adeleke tackles EFCC

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publicly explain the rationale behind the freezing of the state’s account and provide concrete evidence to substantiate its actions.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo, Wednesday, Governor Adeleke decried what he described as frequent intimidation and harassment directed at his administration ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

He disclosed that the state government was alerted after its bank forwarded a directive from the anti-graft agency ordering the immediate freeze of the Osun State Government’s account.

“We received a letter from our banker forwarding a communication from the EFCC, instructing them to freeze the Osun State Government account.

“This action was taken without any court order. We are supposed to be in a democracy where the rule of law must always prevail. We will not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of subnational governments.

“This is a threat to our democracy. If we all keep quiet and allow this illegality, very soon, whatever is left of our democracy will be fully eroded. All I ask is for the EFCC chairman to explain to the good people of Osun State and Nigerians in general why he froze the Osun State Government account, and show proof to support whatever reason he presents,” Adeleke stated.

Governor Adeleke added that he has already directed the State Attorney General to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo, describing the move as an illegality.

Meanwhile, a leaked copy of the EFCC letter obtained by our correspondent in Osogbo, dated August 5 and addressed to the Managing Director of First Bank, Abuja, requested the financial institution to place a “Post-No-Debit” order on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account (Account Number: 2017170947).

The directive, signed by Adenike Babalola on behalf of the EFCC Director of Investigation, stated: “This request is made pursuant to section 38 (1) & (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”