- Police arrested Osun SSG Teslim Igbalaye and five others during a raid in Osogbo
- Officers recovered ₦4.81 million, voter registers, PVCs and other items from the residence
- The Osun government accused the police of carrying out the operation without a search warrant
The Osun State Police Command has arrested and detained the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, along with five other individuals, following a raid on his residence in Osogbo.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the police said one of those apprehended, Oladele Abiodun, was already on its watchlist over alleged criminal activities.
The Command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday that officers also recovered ₦4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards, a voter register, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopier and a printer during the operation.
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Others arrested alongside Igbalaye were identified as Akande Taiwo, 60; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; and Aderemi Musliu, 40.
According to the police, the operation followed credible intelligence that suspected members of a criminal group were hiding at the location.
Ojelabi said the recovered items had been taken into police custody for forensic examination and further investigation.
He explained that the discovery of the cash and voter register had raised concerns over possible electoral offences and other criminal activities.
The police said investigators were examining possible offences, including alleged vote-buying under Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, criminal conspiracy, harbouring a wanted suspect and any additional crimes that may emerge during the investigation.
The command stated that the case could have significant implications for public security, the justice system and the integrity of the electoral process.
It added that efforts were ongoing to determine the source and intended use of the recovered money, identify everyone connected to the exhibits and establish whether a wider criminal network was involved.
The police stressed that no individual is above the law, regardless of political position or social status, and assured that anyone found culpable would face prosecution in line with the law.
Residents were urged to remain calm and continue providing credible information to support efforts aimed at preventing crime and ensuring peaceful and credible elections.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government accused the police of unlawfully invading the residence of the Secretary to the State Government without obtaining a search warrant.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government alleged that a team of police officers, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, forced their way into the residence and arrested those found on the premises.
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