The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, on Friday said the Nigeria Police Force appointed Samuel Erale as the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of security during the forthcoming 15 August governorship election to restore confidence in the command’s neutrality.
Mr Disu said the subtantive CP, Ibrahim Gotan, was asked to step aside after political parties raised concerns about the neutrality of the Osun State Police Command, stressing that the decision was not a disciplinary action against him.
The Whistler reported that the IGP disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during a meeting with civil society organisations on election security in Osun State, led by the Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo.
He said the police took the decision as a confidence-building measure to reassure political parties and other stakeholders that the force would remain neutral before, during and after the election.
The IGP said the decision followed rising political tension and violence in the state, with police intelligence linking some of the unrest to rival cult groups allegedly associated with political actors.
