The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the deployment of a police team to Osun and the temporary replacement of the police commissioner, ahead of the July 16 governorship election.

Police spokesman CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this on Sunday in a statement.

Mr Adejobi said the police commissioner and provost marshall at the force headquarters, Julius Alawari, had been temporarily deployed to Osun for the election while the police commissioner in Osun, Olokode Olawale, had been temporarily moved to the force headquarters.

He explained that the team would be headed by Johnson Kokumo, the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

Mr Adejobi stated that Mr Kokumo, also the supervisory DIG for the South-West, would be assisted by four assistant inspectors general of police (AIGs) during the election.

He further mentioned four police commissioners, 15 deputy police commissioners (DCPs) and 30 assistant police commissioners were also deployed.

According to him, adequate police personnel of the rank of chief superintendents of police and below have been deployed for the election.

He added that Mr Kokumo would oversee the implementation of the ‘operation order’ evolved from the ‘election security threat assessment.’

Mr Adejobi said the idea was to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment, devoid of violence for law-abiding citizens to freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.

He also stated that other senior officers deployed would coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three senatorial districts, 30 local government areas and 3,753 polling units in Osun.

The police spokesman said Mr Baba would on Tuesday meet with stakeholders in Osogbo.

He said the operatives deployed were drawn from the conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and INTERPOL.

Mr Adejobi said others were drawn from the special protection unit, police air wing, public relations department and the police medical team.

According to him, five armoured personnel carriers for patrol, three helicopters and six unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance amongst other unique operational assets are also deployed.

(NAN)