GOC Charges Troops To Be Professional, Adhere Strictly To Code Of Conduct For Election Duty In Osun

The General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, has charged troops deployed for the Osun State off-cycle gubernatorial election to maintain the highest level of professionalism and strictly adhere to the Code of Conduct for election duty.

He gave the charge on Friday, 7 August 2026, while addressing personnel at the Engineer Construction Command in Ede, Osun State, during a briefing ahead of their deployment in support of the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement, the Acting Deputy Director of 2 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, quoted the GOC as emphasising that the task ahead is critical to the Nigerian Army’s constitutional role of providing aid to civil authority.

Major General Mahmuda reminded the troops that their mission, codenamed Operation Safe Conduct, is purely in support of the police, who remain the lead agency for election security in Nigeria.

He stressed that the soldiers are to provide outer cordon security and must stay away from polling units, only responding to security threats when explicitly called upon.

Major General Mahmuda made it clear that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, expects nothing short of impeccable conduct from every soldier on this assignment.

He urged the troops to shun all forms of sentiment or bias, ensuring that their actions are guided strictly by Nigeria’s national interest rather than personal or sectional leanings.

He further reminded them to remain disciplined and maintain a firm but respectful posture throughout the exercise, without harassing any civilian or election official.

The GOC reassured the personnel that all necessary logistics and equipment for the seamless execution of Operation Safe Conduct have been fully provided, and he charged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by their commanders and the nation.

Major General Mahmuda also appealed to the people of Osun State to remain calm and have full confidence in the security architecture put in place, reiterating that the troops are there to protect law and order, not to intimidate anyone.

Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma reiterated that Major General Mahmuda assured residents that no one would be harassed, as the sole objective is to enable citizens to freely exercise their constitutional voting rights.

The GOC concluded by urging the troops to act as well-trained soldiers of the Nigerian Army, upholding the service’s cherished values throughout the election period.