Movement along the road leading to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office on Abere Road in Osogbo, Osun State, has been restricted as soldiers stepped up security on election day.
Armed military personnel were stationed along the route on Saturday, stopping motorists, frisking some road users and searching vehicles passing through the area, according to reports from the scene.
Some residents attempting to use the road were reportedly stopped and prevented from proceeding to their destinations as security checks intensified.
The development comes as voters across Osun State head to polling units to cast their ballots in the governorship election, with security agencies deployed at strategic locations across the state.
Major roads in Osogbo were largely quiet early on Saturday, while security personnel were positioned at key points to enforce movement restrictions and prevent possible incidents during the poll.
Security was also heightened around the Osun INEC headquarters ahead of the election, with police and other security personnel deployed to the premises as election officials prepared sensitive materials for distribution to polling units across the state’s 30 local government areas.
The movement restrictions form part of wider security measures put in place for the election, with authorities seeking to maintain order and ensure a peaceful voting process.
Voters have meanwhile continued to arrive at polling units in different parts of the state, as the contest to determine Osun’s next governor gets underway.
The election features a major contest involving incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and his leading challengers, including the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
