The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will remain professional, apolitical and impartial before, during and after the Osun State governorship election.

Disu gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja when he received representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), led by Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), who visited to discuss election security ahead of the poll.

The IGP said the engagement reflected a shared commitment between the police and civil society groups to ensuring a peaceful, credible, free and fair election in Osun.

He acknowledged concerns over election-related violence, voter intimidation, political thuggery and the neutrality of security agencies, describing them as legitimate issues that must be addressed through dialogue, transparency and concrete action.

Disu said the police had put comprehensive security arrangements in place to safeguard the election and protect voters.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains a professional, apolitical and impartial institution. We have no candidate, no political party and no vested interest in the outcome of the election other than ensuring that the lawful choice of the people prevails,” he said.

According to him, police personnel deployed for election duties had been reminded of their constitutional responsibility to enforce the law without fear or favour.

He said adequate personnel and operational assets had been deployed across the state, while intelligence gathering and threat assessments had been intensified to identify and address potential security threats before they escalate.

Disu added that the police were working with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to ensure effective coordination.

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He warned that anyone involved in vote buying, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, thuggery or other electoral offences would face the full weight of the law, regardless of political affiliation or status.

The IGP also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly, stressing that elections should be about competing ideas and policies rather than violence and intimidation.

“No political ambition is worth the loss of a single Nigerian life,” Disu said, calling on political leaders to restrain their supporters, reject violence and respect the rule of law.

He also appealed to residents of Osun to turn out peacefully and exercise their franchise without fear.

Disu urged voters not to be discouraged by rumours, misinformation or the actions of individuals seeking to undermine the democratic process, while advising them to report suspicious activities or violations to security personnel.

Earlier, Rafsanjani said the CSOs’ visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration with security agencies and supporting efforts to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

He expressed concern over rising political tensions in the country, stressing that the safety and security of citizens remained critical to the credibility of the electoral process.

Rafsanjani said civil society organisations were committed to supporting security agencies in carrying out their responsibilities without bias or partiality in order to strengthen public and international confidence in Nigeria’s elections.

Also speaking, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, said CSOs had independently monitored developments surrounding the Osun governorship election through incident tracking, public perception surveys and pre-election observation.

Itodo said the findings had enabled the organisations to identify key election-security risks emerging ahead of the poll.

He described the Osun election as particularly significant because it could provide important lessons ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, voters would be looking to the police and other security institutions to demonstrate neutrality and professionalism in order to build confidence in the electoral process.

He said the perceived neutrality of security agencies remained one of the major concerns among voters and other stakeholders as the state prepares for the governorship election.