The Nigeria Police Force has deployed more than 15,000 personnel, 30 Commissioners of Police and a Deputy Inspector-General of Police to oversee security during Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists in Osogbo on the security arrangements for the poll.

Iniedu said the police deployment began three weeks ahead of the election, with a DIG designated to coordinate security operations across the state.

He said each of the 30 Local Government Areas would have a Police Mobile Force unit, while two additional units would be stationed at the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters in Osogbo.

The police have also deployed helicopters and drones for aerial surveillance before, during and immediately after the election.

Iniedu announced that vehicular movement into and within Osun would be restricted from midnight on Saturday, except for essential services, security personnel and accredited voters heading to polling units.

“We will be locking down the state,” he said.

The Army, he added, would cordon off border routes into the state as part of measures to prevent the movement of criminal elements and electoral offenders.

The police spokesperson disclosed that 34 illegal firearms had so far been recovered in the state, with investigations ongoing.

He also warned residents against electoral offences, including vote-buying, intimidation, stalking and ballot-box snatching, saying a mobile court would be available to prosecute suspects.

The heightened security comes amid allegations of vote-buying in parts of Osogbo, with some residents claiming they received cash from political canvassers ahead of the election.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has urged political parties and candidates to honour the peace accord they signed and ensure a peaceful election.

INEC said more than 2.3 million voters are registered in Osun, with 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards collected, representing 81.50 per cent of registered voters.

The commission said sensitive electoral materials would be moved from the Central Bank of Nigeria to local government offices on Friday before being deployed to Registration Area Centres ahead of Saturday’s poll.

INEC also expressed confidence in its upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, saying more than 1,300 backup devices had been deployed to address possible technical challenges.

With security agencies tightening movement across the state and INEC completing its final preparations, attention is now focused on Saturday’s election as Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Alliance and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam lead the contest.