Police in Osun State execute a targeted raid leading to the high-profile arrest of Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye and five others over electoral fraud allegations.
Operatives from the Osun State Police Command have executed a high-profile security operation in Osogbo, resulting in the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Teslim Igbalaye, alongside five other suspects.
The targeted raid was conducted following credible intelligence indicating that a criminal syndicate was hiding out within the Oroki Estate area of the state capital.
Police spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed the development in an official command statement, explaining that law enforcement officers initially raided a residential property linked to the SSG to apprehend a key suspect on the police watch-list.
The wanted individual, popularly known as “Ashipa,” had been sought by authorities in connection with major criminal offenses, including murder.
During the search of the premises, police operatives uncovered significant evidence, including N4.8 million in cash, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopying machine, a printer, two voter cards, and official voter registers covering Wards 1 through 15.
The command confirmed that all recovered items were taken into lawful custody to undergo detailed forensic examination and support ongoing evidentiary analysis.
Following the search, Mr. Igbalaye and five additional individuals present at the scene were taken into custody.
Police authorities highlighted that the discovery of voter registers alongside large sums of cash raises immediate concerns regarding potential electoral infractions, specifically voter inducement and vote buying in violation of Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Suspects are currently under investigation for voter bribery, criminal conspiracy, and harboring a wanted suspect, with law enforcement assuring the public that all culpable individuals will face formal prosecution upon the conclusion of investigations.
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