Osun Govt Kicks As Police Detain SSG Over Alleged Possession Of Voter Register, N4.8m

The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, over the alleged unlawful possession of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and a voter register.

The command, in a statement issued by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said five other persons were arrested when police raided a residence linked to the SSG and recovered N4.81 million during the operation.

But the Osun State government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, described the arrest of Igbalaye and the others as an escalation of what it called targeted harassment of top government officials and members of the Accord Party in the state.

Alimi claimed that when the SSG’s residence was raided, ward officials were holding a meeting within the compound while the SSG himself was attending a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He called the attention of traditional rulers, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser and President Bola Tinubu to what he described as the unfolding situation.

The police, however, said the operation followed credible and actionable intelligence that members of a criminal gang were hiding around the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo.

According to the command, operatives acted on information that a suspect identified as Abiodun Arowomole, popularly known as “Ashipa”, who had been on the police watchlist in connection with criminal activities,was hiding in a residential property linked to the  SSG.

“During the operation, officers recovered exhibits comprising a cash sum of four million, eight hundred and ten thousand, five hundred naira (N4,810,500), one Dynabook laptop, one photocopy machine, one printer, two Permanent Voter 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 operation also led to the arrest of the following suspects: Hon. Igbalaye Teslim, 47; Akande Taiwo, 60; Oladele Abiodun, 38; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; and Aderemi Musliu, 40.

“The suspects were found on the premises during the operation and have since been taken into lawful custody.

“The recovery of the cash and the register containing voters’ details raises serious concerns regarding possible electoral offences and other criminal activities,” Ojelabi said.