The performance of policemen deployed for Osun State governorship election is a pointer to better security in future elections in Nigeria.
According to the Police Service Commission, the progress recorded in policing Osun election is a good signal that the twenty-twenty-three general elections would be better.
Its Chairman, Musiliu Smith says the policing of the Osun governorship election is a huge improvement over the recent governorship election in Ekiti State.
Smith wants Nigeria Police to sustain the momentum in future elections, pledging the commission will continue to support them to ensure improved performance.
He pledge that the commission will continue to reward officers who display exemplary performance in the discharge of their duties to serve as motivation for others.
According to him, the commission monitored policemen on election duties in the thirty local government areas of the state and rated their performance above average.
In his words, the police officers arrived the polling centres on time, were professional and orderly in their conducts and had exhibited high level of commitment to duty.
He states that an average of three properly dressed policemen were deployed to each polling unit, adding that the officers were firm and courteous to voters in spite of initial squabbles in a few polling units.
Smith notes that police and other security agencies were quick to restore peace and order in such polling units.
According to him, the polling units were devoid of arms carrying security agencies in line with the requirements of the law, saying both armed military men and special forces of the police mounted road blocks and paraded the streets.
The one-time Inspector-General of Police reveals that the Commissions staff deployed across the state to monitor the election reported that there was no major violence recorded in most of the polling units visited.
His comment is contained in a statement issued by Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani.