Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A political firestorm has erupted in Osun State following the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, and five others by the Osun State Police Command, with the opposition Accord Party and the state government alleging that the operation was part of a broader pattern of intimidation targeting members of the ruling party ahead of the August 15 governorship election. The police, however, maintained that the raid was a lawful operation based on credible intelligence, leading to the recovery of N4.8 million in cash, a voter register, and other electoral materials.
The raid, which occurred on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at a residential property linked to the SSG in the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo, was carried out by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations. According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the operation followed "credible and actionable intelligence" that a criminal gang was hibernating around the Oroki Estate area. During the raid, officers apprehended a wanted suspect, Abiodun Arowomole, popularly known as "Ashipa," who had been on the police watch-list for alleged murder and other serious crimes. The police also arrested Igbalaye, alongside Akande Taiwo, 60; Oladele Abiodun, 38; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; and Aderemi Musliu, 40.
Items recovered during the operation included a cash sum of N4,810,500, one Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine, a printer, two Permanent Voter Cards, and a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15. The police said the recovery of the large cash sum and the voter register raised serious concerns about possible electoral offences, including bribery of voters (vote buying) contrary to Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022, criminal conspiracy, and harbouring a wanted criminal.
However, the arrest has been met with fierce condemnation from the Accord Party and the Osun State Government, who accused the police of engaging in a "campaign of repression" and intimidation against members of the ruling party. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, alleged that the arrests were part of a broader pattern of harassment targeting members of the Accord Party across the state. He claimed that 86 persons, including party candidates and government officials, had been arrested in recent days without justification. "In the last two, three days, over 86 members of the Accord Party have been arrested for no reason. These people were arrested and brought by road to Abuja and are being detained here unnecessarily," Olajengbesi said. He called for the immediate redeployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, accusing him of overseeing what he described as unlawful arrests and detentions.
The Osun State Government also raised the alarm over what it described as a "systematic invasion" of the homes of top government officials. In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government alleged that the SSG's residence was raided without a search warrant, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations. Alimi further claimed that the police had also raided the residences of about six commissioners and other top functionaries of the government, describing the actions as 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 APC," Alimi said. The government called on traditional rulers, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
The police, however, have defended their actions, insisting that the operation was based on intelligence and formed part of ongoing investigations into alleged criminal activities. In a statement, the command reiterated its commitment to enforcing the law without fear or favour, stating: "No individual, irrespective of social status, political affiliation, or public office, is above the law. Any person found culpable at the conclusion of investigations will be prosecuted in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all applicable laws".
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has, however, backed the police action, describing the raid as a vindication of its warnings over the ruling party's alleged plot to engage in vote buying and election manipulation. The APC commended the Nigeria Police Force for the professional operation and encouraged the security agencies to sustain the momentum.
As the investigation continues, the arrests have heightened political tensions in Osun State just over two weeks before the governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026. The police have urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding while assuring them of the command's commitment to ensuring a free, fair, and credible electoral process. For the Accord Party and the Osun State Government, however, the arrests are a clear sign of intimidation, and they have vowed to continue their protests until those detained are released and the police are held accountable for what they describe as an assault on democracy.
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