Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has been removed from his position and redeployed to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on a special duty assignment, amid escalating political tensions ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.

The redeployment was conveyed in a police wireless message issued by the Force Secretariat, Abuja, on Thursday and marked “Most Immediate,” directing immediate compliance by all affected police formations nationwide.

The signal was addressed to key police departments, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Department of Operations, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in Zones 1 to 17, Commissioners of Police across the country, and other specialised units.

According to the directive, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, approved Gotan’s posting to the office of the Commissioner of Police in charge of Communications Operations at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The signal read: “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.”

The order instructed all commands and formations to implement the deployment immediately and accord it the highest priority.

The development was swiftly welcomed by allies of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Reacting in a post on X, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, described the redeployment as a victory for the people of the state.

“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,” he wrote.

A spokesperson for the Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Pelumi Olajengbesi, also celebrated the development, congratulating residents of the state.

The redeployment comes at a time of heightened political tension in Osun, where security has become a major issue ahead of the governorship election.