The Nigeria Police Force has dispatched a new Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, to Osun State ahead of the governorship election on August 15, replacing CP Ibrahim Gotan.
On Friday, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the situation, stating that Erale had been assigned to handle election security measures.
Although the police could not provide a formal reason for Gotan’s reassignment, the action comes after months of complaints from the Osun State Government, political actors, and civil society groups regarding charges of prejudice in handling politically sensitive cases.
Gotan’s redeployment came just 24 hours after the release of Teslim Igbalaye, the Secretary to the State Government, who was arrested with five others during a raid on his home on charges of vote-buying and harbouring a wanted suspect.
The operation elicited significant protests from the state government and the ruling Accord Party, which accused security agents of pressuring government personnel ahead of the election.