“Security Officers Pass Early Test in Osun, but BVAS Malfunctions and Isolated Violence Threaten Smooth Polls at the 2026 Osun State Gubernatorial Election.“ — CLEEN Foundation.
This was contained in a preliminary assessment released by the CLEEN Foundation on Saturday, signed by Peter Maduoma, the Executive Director, following reports from its trained election observers deployed across local government areas in the state.
The foundation said its observers monitored security officials at polling units, focusing on their deployment, identification, professionalism, impartiality, safety and responses to emerging threats.
As of 12 noon, CLEEN Foundation said its observers had submitted reports from polling units across 30 local government areas and 37 wards in Osun State.
Security Deployment Largely Timely
According to the assessment, security deployment at most polling units was timely and adequately staffed.
CLEEN Foundation reported that 86 per cent of monitored polling units had at least three security officials deployed, while 39 per cent of officers were already at their polling locations before 7 a.m.
The foundation also reported strong compliance with officer identification requirements, with 98 per cent of reports confirming that security personnel wore visible name tags and service numbers.
Communication capacity, however, was less consistent, with officers carrying visible communication equipment reported in 65 per cent of the locations monitored.
The foundation also said the early deployment and visibility of security personnel were important in creating an orderly environment as voters arrived for accreditation and voting.
Observers Praise Officers’ Conduct
The assessment also gave a largely positive picture of security personnel’s conduct at polling units.
Observers rated officers as approachable or very approachable in all monitored locations, while 80 per cent were considered impartial or very impartial.
The foundation further said 94 per cent of monitored polling units were rated good or very good in terms of the overall conduct of security officials.
The security situation was also largely calm, with observers reporting a general sense of safety around the polling centres.
CLEEN Foundation said the findings showed that security personnel had, at the opening stage of voting, generally maintained a professional posture and helped sustain confidence among voters and other election stakeholders.
No Armed Groups Seen at Polling Units
The foundation said some security personnel outside the immediate perimeter of polling units were visibly armed, noting that firearm visibility in such areas forms part of standard security considerations.
However, no armed groups or political thugs were observed close to the monitored polling units during the reporting period.
CLEEN Foundation described this as an encouraging early sign, while cautioning that security risks could change as voting progresses toward the closing and collation stages.
The foundation said its observers would continue monitoring the situation, particularly as tensions could increase around the counting and announcement of results.
Three Incidents Recorded
Despite the generally positive security assessment, CLEEN Foundation’s separate Election-Day Violence Observer Log recorded three incidents during the reporting period.
Two incidents were reported in Ola-Oluwa, while one was recorded in Ifelodun.
The incidents included two reports of verbal or physical intimidation and one report of vote buying, although the foundation stressed that the reports remained subject to further verification.
One reported incident occurred at Ward 10, Unit 3, Modakeke, in Ife East Local Government Area, where a police officer was alleged to have fired a teargas canister into a crowd of voters.
CLEEN Foundation said the officer involved had been apprehended and was undergoing interrogation by police leadership at the time of its report.
The foundation urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to investigate the reported incidents and ensure that voters, party agents and observers remained protected throughout the election.
BVAS Problems Cause Delays
While security conduct received a largely positive assessment, technical problems with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) emerged as one of the major challenges affecting the voting process.
CLEEN Foundation said observers reported network failures, facial recognition difficulties and fingerprint authentication problems in several polling units.
Among the affected locations were polling units in Irepodun, Ilesa East, Ifelodun and Irewole.
The foundation said INEC technical personnel were seen responding to some of the problems, but the speed and effectiveness of interventions varied from one location to another.
The BVAS challenges caused delays and frustration among voters in some polling units, although the foundation noted that many voters remained determined to cast their ballots.
94% of Polling Units Rated Good or Very Good
At the polling-unit level, CLEEN Foundation said 57 per cent of units were rated very good and 37 per cent good in terms of overall conduct.
Only six per cent were rated fair, while none of the monitored locations received a poor rating.
On security and safety, 57 per cent of respondents described their polling environments as very safe and secure, while another 41 per cent described them as safe and secure.
Only two per cent considered their environment somewhat safe and secure, while no respondent reported an unsafe environment.
The foundation said the figures suggested that security deployment and crowd management were generally effective during the opening hours of voting.
CLEEN Urges Continued Restraint
CLEEN Foundation stressed that the assessment was preliminary and did not represent a final assessment of the entire election.
The organisation said monitoring would continue through the closing of polls and the subsequent stages of the electoral process.
It commended security agencies for the professionalism observed so far and urged them to maintain neutrality, restraint and adherence to the rule of law.
As the election moves into counting, collation and result announcement, CLEEN Foundation called on all stakeholders to remain vigilant and avoid actions capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election.
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