Sideeq Oyeniyi
The Osun State Police Command has released the Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, following his arrest during a police operation at his residence in Osogbo.
The development was confirmed on Thursday by the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, while the Imole Campaign Council, the campaign organisation of Governor Ademola Adeleke, also announced the SSG’s release.
The campaign council, through its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, welcomed the decision, describing Igbalaye’s arrest as unlawful and commending the Inspector-General of Police and the Osun State Commissioner of Police for responding to public concerns.
Igbalaye was arrested alongside five others after police raided his residence on Wednesday. According to the police, one of those apprehended, Oladele Abiodun, was on its watchlist over alleged criminal offences.
Police also disclosed that officers recovered ₦4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards, a voter register, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine and a printer during the operation.
The command stated that the raid followed intelligence reports that a suspected criminal gang was operating from the location and said the recovered items were being subjected to forensic examination as investigations continue.
According to the police, the investigation is focused on possible offences, including alleged vote buying under the Electoral Act 2022, criminal conspiracy, harbouring a wanted suspect and other offences that may emerge from the ongoing probe.
The release of the SSG came hours after the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, alleged that Igbalaye’s arrest was politically motivated. Egbedun claimed the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, ordered the arrest after being booed during an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ meeting and allegedly seeing the SSG laugh.
The police, however, have maintained that the operation was intelligence-driven and unrelated to the Speaker’s allegations, insisting that investigations into the recovered exhibits and the suspects are ongoing.
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