A woman has alleged that police officers fired tear gas at voters and disrupted the electoral process at Modakeke Ward 10 in Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State during Saturday’s governorship election.
The allegation was contained in a video from the polling area, as voting continued across the state on August 15, 2026.
According to the woman, the situation became tense at the polling unit, with voters reportedly forced to flee after tear gas was allegedly deployed.
She further claimed that some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving as election officials also ran from the scene amid the disturbance.
“Corpers ran for their lives,” the woman was quoted as saying while describing the incident.
The allegation has raised fresh concerns over the conduct of the election, particularly regarding the safety of voters and electoral officials at polling locations.
The reported incident occurred as voters across Osun State turned out to elect a governor in a closely watched contest involving incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and other candidates, including APC’s Bola Oyebamiji.
Allegations Yet to Be Independently Verified
The claims made in the video are allegations and had not, at the time of reporting, been independently verified.
It was also not immediately clear what triggered the reported confrontation at the polling location or whether arrests were made in connection with the incident.
The incident comes against a backdrop of concerns over political violence and the need for security agencies to maintain neutrality and protect voters during the election.
Earlier reports had also documented concerns raised by women in Osun over alleged political violence ahead of the poll, with calls for a peaceful election and neutrality from security agencies.
Election Under Close Security Watch
Security personnel were deployed across Osun State as voters participated in the governorship election.
The conduct of security agencies remains particularly important in ensuring that voters can cast their ballots without intimidation and that election officials can perform their duties safely.
Any confirmed case of tear-gas deployment, intimidation or disruption at a polling unit could further fuel concerns about the credibility and peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security authorities are expected to provide clarification on reported incidents as the election progresses.
National Concord will continue to monitor developments from polling units across Osun State.
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