The Osun State Police Command has explained the circumstances surrounding the discharge of tear gas at Modakeke Ward 10 in Ife East Local Government Area during Saturday’s governorship election.
The command said the incident was caused by the negligence of a police officer who allegedly discharged his tear gas canister accidentally while attempting to ease himself.
The clarification followed reports and videos circulating on social media suggesting that police officers had fired tear gas at voters in an attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
In a statement posted on its X handle on Saturday, the command stressed that the incident did not occur at a polling unit but at a Registration Area Centre (RAC) where officers deployed for election duties were stationed.
“The incident did not take place at any polling unit. It occurred at the Registration Area Centre (RAC) and was the result of negligence on the part of an officer who was attempting to ease himself,” the command said.
The police described the officer’s action as “highly condemnable”, saying it fell short of the professional standards expected of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the command, the officer was immediately arrested and an investigation had commenced to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and establish whether there were any other factors involved.
The police also dismissed claims that the tear gas discharge was deliberately intended to prevent voters from exercising their franchise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, police officers on election duty are not permitted to bear arms within a specified radius of polling units. Claims that the incident was intended to prevent eligible voters from exercising their franchise are therefore false and misleading,” the command said.
The command apologised to residents, voters and other election stakeholders who may have been affected or inconvenienced by the incident.
It assured the public that the officer involved would face appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with the regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.
The command also reaffirmed its commitment to providing security throughout the election and ensuring that the Osun governorship poll remains peaceful, credible, free, fair and inclusive.
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