INEC has identified 385 Osun flashpoints and 200 difficult terrains ahead of the August 15 governorship election, as security agencies and electoral officials prepare for a peaceful poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State has identified about 385 flashpoints and 200 difficult terrains that will be hard to access ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed this while speaking at a meeting convened by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South West, Adegoke Fayoade, with heads of security agencies, religious leaders, electoral officials and the media on Friday 26 June 2026 at the Osun State command headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Osogbo.

Babalola said details of the risk assessment exercise conducted across the 30 local government areas had been shared with the heads of all security agencies in the state. “We have also conducted risk management training because we are currently in our amber zone,” she said.

The REC noted that field officers would carry out ground truthing to assess risks in different locations, adding that she had visited 29 out of the 30 local government areas.

She visited Ila and Ifedayo local government areas, where there were cases of kidnapping, and received assurances from security agencies that there would be peace before and after the election.

Babalola said the commission had received about 75 per cent of the materials needed for the election, with non-statutory materials already deployed to appropriate locations.

She appealed to all security agencies to intensify efforts to assure residents of a peaceful atmosphere.

The Osun flashpoints identification is part of broader preparations for the poll, in which incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party is seeking re-election against challengers Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress, who is supported by former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

This proactive mapping of potential trouble spots and difficult terrains reflects INEC’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent governorship elections in the state.