By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 2,500 personnel and 50 operational vehicles, including seven heavy-duty tow trucks and six ambulances, for the effective management of road traffic and emergency response during the Osun State governorship election.
The deployment, announced ahead of the election scheduled for Saturday, 15 August, 2026 covers the three senatorial districts and all operational areas of the state, and is designed to ensure seamless traffic management, prompt emergency response, clearance of road obstructions and strict compliance with the Restriction/No-Movement Order during the election period.
According to the FRSC, the personnel deployment comprises 2,300 personnel from Osun Sector Command, complemented by 50 personnel each from Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Ogun Sector Commands, with the Corps also positioning its operational and rescue assets at strategic locations to ensure that road users, election officials, accredited observers, security personnel and other members of the public experience a safe and orderly movement environment throughout the electoral process.
The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, mni, explained that the deployment reflects the Corps’ commitment to supporting a peaceful, safe and credible electoral process within its statutory mandate of road safety and traffic management, disclosing that personnel would be deployed with strict professionalism, neutrality, discipline and respect for human rights, while working in close synergy with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and other relevant agencies.
He stated that the Corps’ mandate remains clear, to ensure that roads stay safe, orderly and accessible within the framework of the electoral security arrangements, stressing that personnel would be firm, professional and impartial in discharging their responsibilities.
As part of operational preparations, the FRSC disclosed that it would conduct a Train-the-Trainer Workshop to strengthen the capacity of personnel participating in the election duties, featuring relevant stakeholders including representatives of the Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Corps further explained that it would certify vehicles provided by fleet operators for the transportation of electoral materials to ensure that such vehicles meet prescribed minimum safety standards and are roadworthy before deployment.
The Corps Marshal reiterated that the Restriction/No-Movement Order would be strictly enforced within designated areas during the election, disclosing that vehicles earmarked for enforcement of the restriction would commence deployment from 6am on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with personnel positioned at strategic locations across the state.
The Corps consequently advised motorists, transport operators and other road users to plan their journeys ahead of the election, comply with all lawful traffic directives and avoid restricted routes during the period.
Beyond enforcement of the movement restriction, the FRSC disclosed that its operatives would undertake intensive traffic control, crowd management, clearance of obstructions and rescue operations before, during and after the election, while also deploying personnel to designated polling locations in synergy with the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, in strict adherence to its statutory responsibilities.
The Corps stated that personnel on election duty are required to remain alert, approachable and respectful of the dignity and rights of all citizens, irrespective of political affiliation, gender, religion, race or other considerations.
