Armed military personnel have taken over security duties at the Osun State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The development occurred on Monday as security preparations intensified across the state ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.
DAILY POST observed fully armed soldiers stationed in front of the INEC headquarters, while about three Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, were also deployed to reinforce security around the commission’s premises.
Before the deployment of the soldiers, anti-riot mobile policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, had been responsible for security at the INEC headquarters.
A security source close to the commission said the soldiers arrived on Sunday and assumed full security responsibilities at the premises on Monday morning.
The source said other security agencies would continue to operate alongside the military as the election approaches.
“They arrived yesterday (Sunday), but their numbers increased today (Monday).
“The soldiers are in charge now, but all other security personnel are at their duty posts too.
‘In the next few days, the police and Civil Defence personnel will join,” the source said.
The source also confirmed the deployment of three Armoured Personnel Carriers to the INEC headquarters as part of the security arrangements.
“There are three Armoured Personnel Carriers brought by the soldiers too,” the source added.
Meanwhile, INEC said it had completed most of its preparations for Saturday’s governorship election.
The Osun State INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, disclosed in a message that the commission was fully prepared for the poll.
“We are fully ready for the election on Saturday.
“Out of the 13 activities on the timeline of activities for the election, we have exhausted 12 and the last one is the day of the election,” he said.
According to him, “sensitive electoral materials would be distributed to the various local government areas on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s poll.”