Nigerian police deploy new CP to oversee Osun governorship poll

The Nigeria Police Force has deployed a new Commissioner of Police (CP), Samuel Erale, to oversee the forthcoming 15 August governorship election in Osun State.

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This comes after months of persistent calls from the state government for the removal of CP Ibrahim Gotan amid controversies his alleged partisanship and poor handling of election-related security.

Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Abiodun Ojelabi, a deputy suprintendent of police, confirmed Mr Erale’s deployment to replace Mr Gotan on Friday.

However, it appears Mr Erale will only be in charge of the police in the state for the time being, pending the conclusion of the forthcoming election.

“What we have is that election CP is being deployed to Osun State. Although he is yet to report or assume office,” Mr Ojelabi told PREMIUM TIMES via a phone call.

Although the police have yet to officially announce the reason for the redeployment, the development follows sustained criticism of Mr Gotan’s leadership, particularly over the command’s handling of politically sensitive incidents and election-related violence in the state.

Sahara Reporter reported that Mr Gotan has been redeployed to serve under the Commissioner of Police in charge of Communications Operations at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on a special duty assignment.

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The redeployment comes barely 24 hours after the police released the Osun State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, who was arrested alongside five others during a controversial raid on his residence on Wednesday over allegations of vote-buying and harbouring a wanted suspect.

The operation generated widespread political reactions, with the Osun State Government and the ruling Accord Party accusing the police of targeting senior government officials for political reasons.

Pressure before replacement

Pressure on the former commissioner, Mr Gotan had intensified in recent months as political actors and civil society organisations questioned the neutrality of the state police command ahead of the governorship election.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in June that a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest in Osogbo, demanding Mr Gotan’s redeployment over alleged bias in the handling of election-related violence and politically sensitive security matters.

The ruling Accord Party on Thursday also petitioned President Bola Tinubu and Inspector-General of Police, accusing the commissioner of partiality in responding to attacks on its members. The party alleged that Mr Gotan targeted officials of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.

The criticism escalated after police officers raided the residence of the SSG, claiming to have recovered N4.8 million cash, two permanent voter cards, voter registers, and other items during an investigation into alleged electoral offences.

While the police defended the operation as a lawful investigation, the state government described it as politically motivated, alleging that security agencies were being used to intimidate government officials ahead of the election.

Redeployment of CP not the first ahead of Osun election

Mr Gotan’s replacement continues a familiar pattern in Osun State, where a police commissioner has come under intense political pressure during governorship election, and later replaced with a new commissioner.

Ahead of the 2022 governorship election in the state, civil groups and supporters of the then Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, demanded the removal of then Police Commissioner Olawale Olokode after attacks on campaign offices and allegations that the command was not acting impartially.

The then Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, subsequently redeployed Mr Olokode before the election to the Force headquarters in Abuja, and replaced him with Julius Okoro as commissioner that supervised the Osun election.

Political observers say the recurring redeployment of police commissioners during election seasons reflects persistent concerns about the neutrality of security agencies in one of Nigeria’s most politically competitive states.

READ ALSO: Osun Poll: Adeleke’s campaign organisation dismisses APC’s ‘political heavyweights’ strategy for victory

The new commissioner assumes duty at a time when Osun has witnessed a rise in politically linked violence, arrests and accusations among rival political parties ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The election is expected to be keenly contested by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside candidates of 12 other political parties.