Police Allegedly Fire Tear Gas at Modakeke RAC as Osun Election Materials Disrupted

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Tension erupted at a Registration Area Centre (RAC) in Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State on Saturday morning after police officers were allegedly accused of firing tear gas at voters, electoral officials and party agents gathered for the distribution of materials for the ongoing governorship election.

The reported incident occurred at Ward 10, also known as Modakeke Ward 3 or Modakeke III, where Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, ad-hoc staff, voters and party agents had assembled before proceeding to their respective polling units.

According to accounts attributed to witnesses and reports by several media organisations, the situation became chaotic when armed personnel identified as police officers allegedly fired tear gas into the area.

One source reportedly said those at the RAC had already assembled and were preparing to move to their polling units with election materials and INEC officials when the incident occurred.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show people fleeing the area amid confusion, while a woman can be heard alleging that police officers were tear-gassing those at the centre. Uniformed and camouflage-clad personnel are also visible in some of the footage.

There are also allegations that election materials were seized or carted away during the disruption. Reports attributed to media outlets including Vanguard, The Sun and Daily Post said corps members, party agents and other election personnel were forced to flee amid the disturbance.

The allegations have triggered concerns over the safety of voters and the integrity of the electoral process as Osun residents cast ballots across the state.

The incident has also generated significant reactions online, with videos and claims spreading under the #OsunDecides2026 hashtag. Some social media users have called on the Nigeria Police Force and other authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported disruption.

However, the allegations have not been independently verified. As of the latest available information, neither the Osun State Police Command nor INEC had publicly confirmed or denied claims that police officers fired tear gas or that election materials were taken from the RAC.

The identity of the personnel involved, the circumstances that led to the alleged confrontation and the precise whereabouts of any reportedly affected election materials remain unclear.

The development comes as security agencies maintain a strong presence across Osun State during the governorship election, with authorities repeatedly urging voters and political actors to maintain peace.

Stakeholders have called for a swift investigation into the incident and urged security agencies to remain neutral and protect voters, electoral officials and election materials throughout the voting and collation processes.

Any official statement from INEC or the police is expected to provide further clarification on what transpired at the Modakeke RAC and whether the alleged disruption affected the deployment of election materials to polling units in the area.