The Nigeria Police Force has detained the Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, along with five other persons, following a raid on his residence in Osogbo during which officers reportedly recovered ₦4.8 million in cash and voter registers.
According to police sources, the operation was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to investigate alleged electoral offences ahead of the forthcoming Osun State governorship election. The suspects are being questioned over the circumstances surrounding the items recovered during the raid.
Security sources said the operation led to the seizure of voter registers and the cash, which investigators are examining as part of efforts to determine whether any electoral laws may have been violated.
The detention comes amid heightened political tension in Osun State, where security agencies have intensified surveillance and enforcement measures ahead of the governorship poll. Authorities have repeatedly warned political actors against engaging in vote-buying, voter intimidation and other practices capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not formally announced any criminal charges against Igbalaye or the other detainees, and investigations were said to be ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the reported detention. The circumstances surrounding the recovered cash and voter registers have also not been independently established by investigators.
The development follows a series of election-related security incidents in the state, including the recent attack on an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) permanent voter card distribution centre in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, which prompted police to launch a separate investigation.
The police have urged residents to remain calm and allow the investigation to run its course, assuring the public that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
