The Force described the reports as misleading, explaining that the officers’ extended stay is part of its established post-election security arrangements.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Ani Iniedu, made the clarification in a statement issued on Friday.
Reports had claimed that personnel from about 50 Police Mobile Force squadrons were still stationed across Osun weeks after the election, with some allegedly facing difficult living conditions and inadequate provisions.
Some of the officers were reportedly camped around the Gbongan area, with little operational activity after the conclusion of their election assignments.
However, the police said the continued deployment was deliberate and based on prevailing security requirements.
According to the Force, keeping the personnel in the state was necessary to prevent possible post-election violence, respond quickly to emerging security threats and maintain stability while regular policing structures resumed full operations.
The police further explained that the length of any post-election deployment depends on operational assessments and prevailing security needs.
The Force also rejected claims that the officers had been abandoned or denied their approved welfare packages.
It maintained that all personnel deployed for the election received their authorised entitlements, while their respective command structures remained responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment.
The police cautioned against portraying a planned security operation as evidence of institutional neglect, warning that such reports could affect the morale of officers and public confidence in the Force.
The NPF reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of its personnel and said officers would continue to be deployed strategically to protect lives and property and maintain public order.
It also urged media organisations to properly verify information, especially reports based on unnamed sources, before publication.
The August 15 governorship election was won by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, who secured 511,067 votes against 444,815 recorded by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
