Political tension heightened in Osun State on Wednesday after the Nigeria Police arrested the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaiye, and five other persons in Osogbo, days ahead of the state’s governorship election.
The arrests have triggered sharp exchanges between the Osun State Government and the police, with the state accusing security operatives of targeting opposition figures for political reasons.
The police, however, maintained that the operation was intelligence-driven and devoid of any political undertone.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, the command said officers raided Igbalaiye’s residence following credible intelligence that suspected criminals were hiding at the premises.
According to the police, six suspects were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Teslim Igbalaiye, Akande Taiwo, 60; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; Aderemi Musliu, 40; and Oladele Abiodun, who was described as a wanted suspect on the police watchlist for previous criminal offences.
The command said officers recovered N4.81 million in cash, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine, a printer, two Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and a voter register covering wards 1 to 15.
The police said the exhibits had been secured for forensic examination, adding that the recovery of cash and the voter register raised concerns over possible electoral offences.
According to the command, investigators are examining possible offences, including vote-buying under Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, criminal conspiracy, harbouring a wanted suspect, and any other offences that may emerge during the investigation.
It added that investigations were ongoing to determine the source of the recovered cash, identify all those connected to the exhibits, and establish whether any electoral or criminal offences had been committed. The police vowed to prosecute anyone found culpable.
However, the Osun State Government rejected the allegations, accusing the police of conducting unlawful raids on the homes of senior government officials.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government alleged that police officers stormed the SSG’s residence without a search warrant and arrested family members and individuals attending a political meeting.
Alimi claimed the operation formed part of a wider pattern of raids targeting government officials, alleging that residences of about six commissioners and other senior officials had also been searched.
He said the SSG was not at home during the raid, explaining that he was attending an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ forum while ward officials were meeting at his residence.
The commissioner further alleged that the residence of the Commissioner for Energy had been searched a day earlier, with some property reportedly damaged during the operation.
He also claimed that several members of the Accord political movement were being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) without bail.
Describing the operations as an assault on democracy, Alimi accused the police of acting in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and called on the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, President Bola Tinubu, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to intervene to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, the Adeleke Campaign Organisation demanded the immediate release of supporters it claimed were arrested across the state.
Speaking after visiting the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headquarters in Abuja, the campaign’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, alleged that more than 86 party supporters had been arrested without justification.
He claimed many of those arrested had been transported to Abuja and detained despite no petitions or criminal allegations against them.
Olajengbesi further alleged that 36 detainees had been transferred to Keffi while another 14 were taken to Kuje Correctional Centre without any known offence.
He also accused the Osun State Commissioner of Police of compromising the electoral process and called on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure a free, fair and credible governorship election.
Responding to the allegations, police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi insisted that only six adults were arrested during the operation.
“Just six persons were arrested. All adults. The youngest among them should be 40 years. Six persons were arrested, not 56,” he said.
Ojelabi also dismissed claims that the police raided the homes of commissioners, stating that officers acted solely on intelligence reports and made the arrests at the SSG’s residence.
On demands for the removal of the state Commissioner of Police, he said such a decision rests with the Inspector-General of Police.
“The CP himself has responded to that. He said it is their choice. He’s not the one to remove himself. He was posted there by the Inspector-General of Police,” Ojelabi said.
