Security
Osun election: NSCDC Deploys 10,210 Personnel Ahead of 15 August Poll
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it will deploy 10,210 personnel and specialised tactical units to Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The deployment begins on Monday, five days before the 15 August poll, and will cover the state’s 30 local government areas.
The Corps said the operation is intended to protect voters, electoral officials, election materials, journalists, observers and other residents.
The deployment comes as political tensions and concerns about election-related violence remain part of the preparations for the poll.
Who is being deployed?
According to the NSCDC, about 10,000 uniformed and undercover personnel will be drawn from 10 state commands.
The commands are in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, with about 1,000 personnel expected from each.
They will reinforce the existing Osun Command and work alongside the police, military and other security agencies.
The Corps is also sending its Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit.
The NSCDC says these units will focus on intelligence gathering, crime prevention, protection of critical infrastructure, crowd control and other election-related security duties.
Senior NSCDC officers will also relocate to Osun to supervise the operation.
The Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip, will lead the operational coordination, alongside designated Assistant Commandants General and other senior officers.
Why the heavy security presence?
Security has become a major issue in the run-up to the election.
In June, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, ordered an end to political killings and violence in Osun. The state government said the police had been asked to investigate cases of violence and take action against those responsible.
In July, Governor Ademola Adeleke and the police chief discussed measures to prevent political violence. Mr Disu warned that “this is an election, not a war” and called for a peaceful atmosphere for voting.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has also stressed the importance of neutrality among security personnel.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun said security personnel deployed for the election would take an oath of neutrality and undergo training before the poll.
That matters because a large security deployment can protect voters and election officials, but it can also create concerns if officers are perceived as intimidating voters or favouring one political side.
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, said personnel had been instructed to remain neutral.
“As an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting critical infrastructure and national assets; the safety and security of Election materials and Electoral officials are very critical alongside the electorates; you have the responsibility of ensuring unbiased synergy with other Security Agencies on Election duty to actualize a free, fair and credible election.”
He added:
“Our personnel have been properly briefed on the need to be professional, neutral and respectful in the discharge of their duties”.
The Corps also warned against attempts to disrupt voting.
“In the light of the above the NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies on election duty will not tolerate any activity intended to jeopardize the election process; criminal minded persons and political thugs willing to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the wrath of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act”
How does this compare with 2022?
The latest deployment is not the first large-scale NSCDC operation for an Osun governorship election.
For the 2022 election, the Corps announced the deployment of 11,226 personnel to cover polling units, collation centres, flashpoints and critical national assets.
The 2026 deployment of 10,000 personnel from 10 state commands is therefore smaller than the 2022 figure before the additional specialised units are taken into account.
The difference does not necessarily indicate a reduction in overall security capacity because the present plan includes several specialised formations.
What else is at stake?
Security is only one part of the electoral risk.
INEC has expressed concern about vote buying ahead of the election and urged journalists to document suspected incidents in sufficient detail to support investigations and prosecution.
The commission says 2,339,233 voters are registered for the election across 3,763 polling units and 30 local government areas. Fourteen political parties are expected to participate, according to INEC’s preparations announced in July.
This means the security operation will have to do more than prevent physical violence.
Officers will also be expected to protect electoral materials, allow accredited observers and journalists to work, prevent intimidation and ensure that voters can reach polling units without undue interference.
The NSCDC says its personnel will work within an inter-agency framework involving the Nigeria Police Force, the military and other security agencies.
The Corps has appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters and residents to remain peaceful and report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
For voters, the immediate test will be whether the large security presence creates a safe environment without undermining the freedom and neutrality that an election requires.
The next major test will come on polling day, when the conduct of security personnel, political actors, election officials and voters can be assessed against those commitments.
Security
NSCDC Arrests Three Over Alleged Vandalism of Government Property in Anambra
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra State says it has arrested three men over the alleged vandalism of government property and structures on government-owned land in Onitsha South Local Government Area.
The suspects were arrested on Monday, 14 September 2026, at about 3:48pm during an operation involving NSCDC personnel and the Agunachemba Security Outfit, according to the command.
The development was announced on Tuesday by SC Okadigbo Edwin, Head of Media and Tactical Operations of the NSCDC Anambra Command, while reviewing the command’s operational activities for the week.
Three men arrested
The NSCDC identified the suspects as Oseloka Anyaorah of Onitsha Umuasi, who allegedly claimed to be the chairman of Ogbo Family, as well as John Nwobodo and Ifeanyi Nwancho.
The command said Nwobodo and Nwancho claimed to be workers of Anyaorah at the site.
The agency said the men were allegedly found vandalising government property in Onitsha South.
Items recovered from the site include a government signpost, zinc sheets, nails and other building materials, according to the NSCDC.
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Investigation underway
The NSCDC said preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects allegedly conspired to damage and remove parts of government infrastructure belonging to Onitsha South.
The recovered materials have been taken into the custody of the Corps, it said.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
NSCDC warns against public property vandalism
Anambra State NSCDC Commandant, Maku Olatunde, condemned the alleged vandalism, describing the destruction of public property as economic sabotage against the government and residents of the state.
He said the Corps would continue efforts to protect critical national assets and infrastructure.
Commandant Maku directed that the suspects be profiled and prosecuted after investigations are concluded.
He also urged traditional rulers, town union leaders and residents to provide timely information to security agencies to help prevent the vandalism of government facilities.
What happens next?
The NSCDC said investigations into the incident are continuing, after which the suspects are expected to be charged to court if sufficient evidence is established.
The case highlights the role of security agencies and community leaders in protecting public infrastructure, particularly facilities and assets built with government resources.
Security
Ogun CP Intervenes as Doctor Waives ₦300,000 Bill for Bereaved Woman
A doctor in Ogun State has waived a ₦300,000 outstanding hospital bill owed by a woman who lost her baby after undergoing a Caesarean Section.
The Ogun State Police Command said the intervention followed an appeal by Commissioner of Police Olubode Bode Ojajuni after the woman, identified as Precious Mathew, approached the Owode-Yewa Police Division for help.
According to the command, Ms Mathew, from the Ogooluwa area behind Owode Market, went to the police station on 13 September 2026 over the unpaid bill.
She had undergone a Caesarean Section at Longe Hospital Medical Centre, Sabo, Owode-Yewa, on 30 June, but subsequently lost her baby, the police said.
How the ₦300,000 debt arose
The hospital bill was ₦400,000, of which ₦100,000 had already been paid, leaving a balance of ₦300,000.
The matter was brought to the attention of CP Ojajuni, who the police said contacted the medical doctor, Dr Babanki Samuel, to appeal for consideration of the woman’s circumstances.
The command said Dr Samuel subsequently agreed to waive the entire outstanding balance.
The decision meant Ms Mathew could leave without having to pay the remaining ₦300,000, according to the police.
Police praise doctor’s gesture
The Ogun State Police Command described the doctor’s decision as an act of compassion towards a woman already dealing with the loss of her child.
It thanked Dr Samuel for what it described as his “humanity and generosity”.
The account provided by the police does not indicate that Ms Mathew was arrested or accused of committing an offence. Rather, the division became involved after she sought assistance over the hospital debt.
Also Read: So-Safe Corps Arrests Pregnant Woman, Man Over Alleged Ogun House Break-in
A difficult situation eased
The incident highlights the difficulties that unpaid medical bills can create for families, particularly after a traumatic medical experience.
In this case, the police intervention resulted in a conversation between the commissioner and the doctor, with the hospital subsequently agreeing to cancel the outstanding amount.
The police said the outcome allowed the woman to leave without the financial burden.
The Ogun State Police Command’s account did not provide further details about Ms Mathew’s current condition or the circumstances surrounding her baby’s death.
Security
NSCDC Secures Conviction of Man Over Telecom Infrastructure Vandalism in Anambra
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra State has secured the conviction of a man, Obika Sopuruchukwu, over the attempted theft and vandalism of critical telecommunications infrastructure in Awka.
Sopuruchukwu was arrested on 9 September 2026 at Emma Nnaemeka Street, Awka, after allegedly conspiring with an accomplice to steal a telecommunications integrated power transformer/generator installed in the area.
According to the NSCDC, the accomplice escaped, while operatives arrested Sopuruchukwu and subsequently charged him before the Magistrate Court sitting in Awka.
Man convicted on two counts
The defendant was arraigned in Charge No. MAW/276C/2026 on two counts.
The first count was conspiracy to commit a felony, specifically stealing, punishable under Section 495(a) of the Criminal Code.
The second involved vandalism of critical national assets through the loosening of bolts and cutting of cables, an offence the NSCDC said is punishable under Section 353(2) of the Criminal Code.
Sopuruchukwu pleaded guilty to both charges.
Delivering judgment on 11 September, the magistrate found him guilty on the two counts and sentenced him to one month imprisonment on each count.
The sentences are to run consecutively at the Correctional Centre in Amawbia, meaning he is to serve a total of two months in custody.
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NSCDC warns infrastructure vandals
The NSCDC Anambra State Command said the conviction underscores its efforts to protect critical national assets and infrastructure across the state.
The State Commandant, Maku Olatunde, commended the prosecution team led by SC Ifeanyi Nwokike and other operatives for what he described as their diligence.
He reiterated the Corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure in Anambra.
Commandant Maku also warned that the NSCDC would continue to clamp down on people involved in the vandalism of public utilities.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around government and private installations to the nearest NSCDC formation.
Why the case matters
Telecommunications infrastructure supports mobile communications, internet connectivity and other digital services used daily by individuals, businesses and public institutions.
Damage to power and supporting equipment at telecommunications sites can disrupt services and impose additional costs on operators and users.
The NSCDC is legally mandated to protect critical national assets and infrastructure, making the prevention of vandalism a key part of its security responsibilities.
What’s next
The NSCDC said it would continue operations against the vandalism of critical infrastructure and urged members of the public to provide information about suspicious activity around installations.
The command did not provide further details about the escaped accomplice or whether any additional arrest had been made.
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