Osun West Bye-Election: Police bans private security groups from polling centers

As parts of efforts to ensure a crime free Osun West Senatorial Bye-election which is coming up on July 8, the State Police Command has banned all private security groups, vigilante and non-governmental security agencies from the polling centers.

The command also announced that there would be no movement of vehicles and persons including party leader(s)/political office holders and their aides from 8:00am to 4:00pm, as their presence could instigate or stir up violence.

All these were contained in a press release signed by the Police Public Relation Officer, SP Folasade Odoro for the Commissioner of Police, CP Olafimihan Adeoye.

"The intersections leading to the Polling centres will be blocked. Only those on essential services such as medical personnel, the press, the security agencies, etc, are exempted from the ban on the movement." The release reads.

The Police however stated that the restriction only affects the concerned Local Government Areas and not the entire State.

While urging all electorates to be law abiding and go to the polling unit with their permanent voter card (PVC), CP said anybody caught in any form of lawlessness, capable of disrupting the electoral process would be made to face the full arm/wrath of the law.

"The command is using this medium to appeal to parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to stay out of trouble during the period of election.

"They should not allow themselves to be used by any vicious politician to cause crisis in the State." CP Adeoye stressed.