EXCLUSIVE(SAHARA REPORTERS): AIG Halts PCRC Zone 13 Polls Over Alleged Manipulation by Chairman Olaniyan

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) for Zone 13, AIG Godwin Iguh Eze, has mandated the suspension of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Zone 13 election. This decision comes amidst serious allegations of attempts to improperly influence the electoral proceedings.

Originally slated for Wednesday, July 8, 2026, the election was intended to usher in a new executive committee to manage the zone's affairs for a four-year term. However, a statement released by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Chidera Oha, conveyed the AIG's directive, citing both procedural and administrative concerns as reasons for the delay.

SaharaReporters, which exclusively obtained the statement, reports that the postponement stems from purported irregularities and inconsistencies in the election's execution. Sources indicate that Alhaji Ibrahim Olaniyan Mogaji, the National Chairman of the PCRC, allegedly failed to submit the names of aspirants to either the AIG's office or the Zonal Management Team for the required screening process, a clear breach of established electoral guidelines.

Further allegations suggest that Olaniyan actively sought to sway the outcome by promoting specific candidates, aiming to secure their victory rather than allowing a fair and open electoral contest. Following the AIG's decision, an insider revealed to SaharaReporters that the National Chairman has commenced lobbying senior police officials at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, hoping to overturn the AIG's directive. Olaniyan is reportedly displeased with the postponement, claiming it has derailed his carefully laid plans for the election.

The official police statement explicitly listed the reasons for the halt: "The AIG, Zone 13, will be on an official visit to another state on that day and will therefore not be available. The nomination forms were not made available to the AIG, Zone 13, or the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer. The contestants were also not screened by the AIG, Zone 13, or members of the Zonal Management Team."

Efforts by SaharaReporters to get a reaction from Olaniyan regarding these latest accusations proved unsuccessful, as repeated calls to his mobile phone went unanswered before the publication of this report. It is worth noting that SaharaReporters had previously reported on March 27, 2026, that several PCRC members accused Olaniyan of victimizing female staff who allegedly rejected his advances and demanded greater financial transparency within the organization. He has also been the subject of prior reports detailing accusations of corruption, financial mismanagement, abuse of office, and actively suppressing accountability within the PCRC. Critics have further accused him of transforming the organization into what they describe as a "personal enterprise" driven by unchecked financial motives.