Tension heightened ahead of the Osun State governorship election on Wednesday as the state police command arrested Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaiye, and five others.
The Ademola Adeleke campaign and the Osun State Government, however, accused the security agency of targeting opposition figures in a political crackdown.
The police said the suspects were arrested during a raid on Igbalaiye’s residence in Osogbo, where they claimed to have recovered a sum of N4,810,500, two voter cards, a voter register and other items suspected to be linked to electoral offences, an allegation the Osun State Government and the governor’s campaign team rejected.
The police stated that among those arrested at the SSG’s residence was a suspect on their watchlist in connection with criminal offences, Oladele Abiodun.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, said two PVCs, a voter register, Dynabook laptop, one photocopy machine, and one printer were recovered from Igbalaiye’s residence.
Others arrested alongside Igbalaiye were Akande Taiwo ‘m’ 60years, Adeyemo Lukman ‘m’ 45years, Olaoye Muftau ‘m’ 50years, and Aderemi Musliu ‘m’ 40years.
The PPRO said a police team acting on intelligence that some criminal gangs were hibernating at a location in Osogbo carried out a lawful raid and apprehended the suspects.
“During the operation, officers recovered exhibits comprising a cash sum of four million eight hundred ten thousand, five hundred naira (N4,810,500), one Dynabook laptop, one photocopy machine, one printer, two Permanent Voter’s Cards and a voter register for wards 1-15.
“These exhibits have been secured and are currently in police custody for detailed forensic examination and further investigation.
The recovery of the cash and the register containing voters’ details raises serious concerns regarding possible electoral offences and other criminal activities.
“While investigations are still ongoing, the facts presently available disclose reasonable grounds to investigate the commission of offences which may include: bribery of voters (vote buying) contrary to Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022, arising from the alleged distribution of money or other inducements to registered voters for the purpose of influencing their voting decisions.
“Criminal Conspiracy is where two or more persons are found to have agreed to commit an unlawful act.
“Harbouring or concealing a wanted criminal, where any individual is found to have knowingly sheltered or assisted a fugitive from justice. Any other offences that may be disclosed upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation,” the statement read.
The command emphasised that the allegations against the suspects had far-reaching implications for public security, the administration of justice, and the credibility of the democratic process.
“Accordingly, investigations are being intensified to identify all persons connected with the recovered exhibits, establish the source and intended use of the recovered funds, and determine the full extent of any criminal enterprise,” the statement read.
The Osun command declared that no individual, irrespective of social status, political affiliation, or public office, is above the law, adding that any person found culpable at the conclusion of investigations would be prosecuted in accordance with the constitution.
It urged members of the public to remain calm, law-abiding, and to continue providing credible information that will assist the police in preventing crime and ensuring peaceful, free, fair, and credible electoral processes.
The PUNCH reports that Osun State Government on Wednesday accused the state command of the Nigerian Police Force of invading the residence of Igbalaiye without a search warrant.
The allegations were contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, a copy of which was obtained by The PUNCH in Osogbo.
He also claimed that the police operatives met on the premises were arrested.
Alimi further alleged that the SSG’s residence was busted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations.
He also said during the incident, members of the Igbalaiye family were arrested and whisked away.
“The Osun State Government has raised alarm over systematic invasion, attacks and busting of homes of top Osun State government officials by the state police command without a proper search warrant, with the latest being the invasion of the house of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
“The SSG’s residence was busted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations.
“The Gestapo operations on the SSG residence followed a similar raid and arrest at the residences of about six commissioners and other top functionaries of the government.
“As of the time the SSG’s house was invaded, his ward officials were holding a meeting within the compound while the SSG himself was attending the stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Alimi said.
He further said the police on Tuesday raided the residence of the Commissioner for Energy at Ikire, “ransacking the building and destroying several properties.”
The commissioner further said five other commissioners reported that their residences were being monitored, while others were raided despite no illegal activity taking place in their homes.
“Following several raids and arrests, reports at the disposal of the government indicated that several Accord members are languishing in CID cells at the state command without being granted bail.
“These raids on the SSG and our commissioners are an aggravated assault on the government and people of Osun State.
“This campaign of repression constitutes grave danger to democracy. It is a reprehensible unprofessional conduct by the police in support of the state All Progressives Congress,” Alimi said.
The statement read further, “By openly launching attacks on Osun government officials, the state police command has again confirmed its partiality and partisanship. It is becoming a direct tool in the hands of Osun APC.
“This is a law enforcement agency becoming lawless and acting against the spirit and letter of the constitution.
“These grave violations of the constitution and basic rights of the government and people of Osun State come as the national chairman of INEC is meeting stakeholders. The police have become a major threat to the conduct of a free and fair election in Osun State.
“We again call the attention of our traditional rulers, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to this escalation of targeted violence against top government officials and Accord members in Osun State.
“This must be stopped before it escalates into a general breakdown of law and order.”
Also, the Adeleke campaign team, on Wednesday, demanded the immediate release of supporters arrested by the police.
Addressing journalists after a visit to the Force Intelligence Response Team headquarters in Abuja, the campaign’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, alleged that more than 86 members had been arrested across Osun State and detained without any lawful basis.
He claimed the arrests were politically motivated and designed to intimidate opposition supporters before the poll.
Olajengbesi said, “We have just come out of the IRT office. In the last two to three days, over 86 people, members of our party, have been arrested for no reason. These people were brought by road to Abuja and detained here unnecessarily.
“We have met with the leadership of the police, and they cannot provide any explanation to us. There is no petition against them. These people have committed no offence.”
Olajengbesi further alleged that 36 of the detainees had been transferred to Keffi Correctional Centre, while 14 others were taken to Kuje, despite not being charged with any offence.
“Today, having visited our people in detention, we discovered that 36 have been taken to Keffi, 14 have been taken to Kuje, for no reason, for no single offence committed. This must not continue,” he said.
The campaign spokesman also claimed that the Osun State Commissioner of Police had compromised the integrity of the electoral process.
“There is a need for us to have a free, credible election. The Commissioner of Police in Osun State is completely compromised. If he is allowed to conduct the election, the election is already compromised,” he alleged.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to intervene and ensure a level playing field ahead of the election.
“We want the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that there is a free and fair election in Osun State.
“The police should do their job. People must be allowed to exercise their franchise and vote for the candidate of their choice,” he said.
Olajengbesi also alleged that the Secretary to the Osun State Government had been arrested while sensitising residents about the election, adding that several other party leaders were picked up without justification.
The Osun State police command, however, dismissed the allegations, insisting that only six suspects were arrested.
The command’s spokesperson, Ojelabi, told The PUNCH that contrary to the campaign’s claims, the suspects were all adults and were apprehended based on credible intelligence.
“Just six persons were arrested. All adults. The youngest among them should be 40 years. Six persons were arrested, not 56,” the police spokesperson said.
He also denied allegations that security operatives invaded the residences of government officials.
“The police did not invade the house of commissioners. They only went based on information. They arrested these people in the house of the SSG,” he added.
Reacting to the campaign’s demand for the removal of the Commissioner of Police, the spokesman said the decision was beyond the officer.
“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,” he said.
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