The Independent National Electoral Commission has identified 11 local government areas in Osun State as potential violence flashpoints ahead of the August 15 governorship election, directing security agencies to intensify surveillance and prevent any attempt to disrupt the poll.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Osun Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo, saying the commission had activated its Electoral Risk Management framework to detect and mitigate security threats before, during and after the election.
According to him, the commission has mapped risk corridors across the state, identified emerging threats and designed targeted interventions to ensure a credible and peaceful electoral process.
The identified flashpoints are Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade local government areas.
Amupitan said the areas would receive enhanced security deployments to deter political thuggery, cult-related violence and any form of ballot disruption.
“These hotspot locations will receive specialised, high-visibility security deployments. Security forces have been issued strict operational directives to neutralise thuggery, cult activities and any attempt at ballot disruption, while maintaining absolute professional neutrality,” he said.
The INEC chairman also announced that the commission would conduct a mock accreditation exercise on August 1 across 12 selected local government areas to test the functionality of its election technology and overall preparedness for the governorship poll.
He disclosed that Osun currently has 2,339,233 registered voters, adding that 322,822 newly registered voters had so far collected their Permanent Voter Cards.
To enable more eligible voters to participate in the election, he said the commission had extended PVC collection until July 31.
Amupitan also addressed the recent attack on INEC officials and the theft of PVCs in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, assuring affected voters that the incident would not deny them their voting rights.
He revealed that the serial numbers of the stolen PVCs had been permanently blacklisted on the commission’s central server, while security agencies were closing in on those responsible for the attack.
He added that INEC’s Information and Communication Technology Department had been directed to immediately reprint the stolen PVCs for affected voters.
Also speaking, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, assured residents that the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, had concluded comprehensive security arrangements for the election.
Gotan said special attention would be given to the identified flashpoints through increased intelligence gathering, sustained stakeholder engagement and the deployment of additional personnel.
“The Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency in election security, is fully prepared to discharge its constitutional responsibility with professionalism, impartiality and respect for the rule of law,” he said.
He warned that anyone or group attempting to disrupt the electoral process would face the full weight of the law, irrespective of political affiliation or social status.
The police commissioner also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to shun violence, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and resolve grievances through lawful means.
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