Police Arrest Osun SSG, Five Others Over Alleged Vote-Buying Scheme

Political tension has escalated in Osun State following the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaiye, alongside five other suspects, during a police raid at his residence in Osogbo.

According to the Osun State Police Command, operatives acting on intelligence raided the premises and recovered N4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), a voter register covering wards 1 to 15, a laptop, a printer, and a photocopy machine. Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi stated that the seized items point toward potential electoral offenses, specifically voter inducement and criminal conspiracy under the Electoral Act. Among those arrested was an individual previously listed on a police watchlist.

The arrests have sparked sharp reactions from the Osun State Government and Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign team, who accused the police of political intimidation and partisan bias. State Commissioner for Information Kolapo Alimi claimed security forces conducted an unauthorized raid on the SSG’s home without a search warrant while he was attending an official electoral stakeholder meeting. Alimi further alleged that police have been systematically targeting homes of state cabinet officials.

Meanwhile, campaign representatives alleged that over 80 supporters across the state have been unlawfully detained and transferred to federal custody in Abuja. The police command dismissed claims of widespread arrests or home invasions, reiterating that only six adult suspects were taken into custody based on credible intelligence and that law enforcement will proceed according to due process.