The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Gotan, has reportedly been redeployed from the state command less than three weeks before the August 15 governorship election.
Sources familiar with the development said the redeployment was conveyed in a police wireless message issued by the Force Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday and marked "Most Immediate."
According to the signal, referenced TH.5361/FS/FHQ/ABJ/SUB.7/, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, approved Gotan's transfer to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The directive, which was circulated to police formations and departments nationwide, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Department of Operations, the Department of Information and Communication Technology, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police across the 17 police zones, state commands and other specialised units, instructed immediate compliance.
The message stated: "INGENPOL HAS ORDERED THE POSTING OF COMPOL IBRAHIM GOTAN TO CP COMM OPS FHQ ABUJA ON SPECIAL DUTY W.E.F. X TREAT AS VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE."
Under the new posting, Gotan is expected to serve under the Commissioner of Police in charge of Communications Operations at the Force Headquarters on a special assignment.
The redeployment directive, dated July 30, 2026, ordered all affected commands and formations to accord the posting the highest priority.
The development has generated political reactions in Osun State.
Reacting in a post on X, the Special Assistant on Digital Media to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, welcomed the reported redeployment, describing it as a response to public concerns.
"The Commissioner of Police in Osun State has been removed. We thank the Inspector General of Police for listening to the voice of the people. The will of the people cannot be denied.
"Congratulations to the good people of Osun State," he wrote.
The reported transfer comes amid heightened political tension and intense preparations for the governorship election, with security remaining a major concern for political parties and other stakeholders.
Only on Thursday, Governor Ademola Adeleke raised fresh concerns over the security situation in the state, alleging that there was an "active progression towards genocide" ahead of the poll.
Speaking at a peace summit organised in preparation for the election, the governor accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police of orchestrating violence, intimidation and politically motivated arrests targeting members of his party.
Adeleke claimed that his administration, party supporters and residents had been subjected to sustained harassment over the past three months and warned that the situation could worsen if urgent steps were not taken to restore peace and confidence ahead of the election.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had yet to issue an official statement on the reported redeployment.
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