Police Reportedly Release OSSIEC Ad-Hoc Staff Arrested On LG Election

The Nigeria Police have reportedly released all ad-hoc staff of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) who were arrested while on election duty.

Dtruth Insights recalls that the arrest, which took place on 22nd February, had drawn criticism, with the Chairman of OSSIEC, Hashim Abioye, earlier raising concerns over the detention of commission officials across the state.

In a video posted on OSSIEC’s official X page on Saturday, Abioye had decried the police action, stating that officers also sealed off the commission’s headquarters, making it difficult to access election materials.

While he commended voters for turning out to exercise their rights, he apologised to journalists for accreditation challenges, attributing the issue to the police’s actions.

“So far, so good. The reports have been positive, and the conduct of the election has been smooth and peaceful, contrary to the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye had stated.

He had also questioned the legality of the arrests, saying, “I don’t know on whose order this was done because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of our officials.”

However, with the latest reports confirming the release of the detained officials, concerns over their safety have now been eased. Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke has been widely acknowledged for his role in securing their freedom.