By Ladipo Ola
The Osun State Police Command has arrested a serving member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Abiola Inaolaji Ibrahim, alongside 146 persons suspected to be political thugs as voting continued in Saturday’s governorship election.
The arrest took place in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state, according to the police.
Inaolaji is an Accord Party member representing the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly.
The police said he was arrested during an operation carried out by the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team in the early hours of Saturday.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, DSP Abiosun Ojelabi, confirmed the arrest in Osogbo, saying the operation formed part of intensified security measures aimed at preventing activities capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
The 146 persons arrested with the lawmaker were described by the police as suspected political thugs.
Reports from the police indicate that the suspects were found in Ikire, where the operation was conducted. Another account from the police said about 143 of the persons were suspected electoral “mercenaries” allegedly staying at the residence of the lawmaker’s late father.
Police said investigations were continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding their presence and the materials recovered.
The police also said some Permanent Voter Cards were recovered during the operation.
According to the command, investigations were ongoing to determine whether the PVCs belonged to the persons found at the location or whether any of them were forged. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the suspects remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The arrest came as voting was taking place across the state, with security agencies under pressure to prevent intimidation, violence, vote buying and other activities capable of disrupting the exercise.
Police had deployed substantial personnel across Osun ahead of the election, while other security agencies were also involved in the election security operation.
The development has added to an already tense electoral atmosphere in Osun, where the contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam has attracted intense political attention. Other candidates are also participating in the election.
Governor Adeleke, after casting his vote at Ward 9, Sagba Abogunde Polling Unit in Ede, raised fresh concerns about the conduct of security personnel. He alleged intimidation of his supporters in the Modakeke area and subsequently called for the removal of the Commissioner of Police overseeing the election.
Adeleke also accused police personnel of aiding thugs to disrupt voting in Modakeke, an allegation that has been denied by the police commissioner supervising the election. Reports from the area indicated that voting was disrupted in some polling units amid allegations involving security personnel and suspected political thugs.
The governor, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the early commencement of accreditation and voting at his polling unit. He urged the commission to sustain the process and ensure that voting remained free and fair across the state.
The controversy over the police leadership in Osun predates Saturday’s election. The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had earlier explained that former Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan was asked to stand aside after complaints from political stakeholders who said they no longer had confidence in his leadership ahead of the election. Samuel Erale was subsequently deployed to oversee election security.
The arrest of Inaolaji and the 146 suspected political thugs therefore comes against a background of heightened concern over electoral violence and the neutrality of security agencies. Political actors have repeatedly accused one another of intimidation, while security authorities have maintained that their primary responsibility is to protect voters and safeguard the electoral process.
Meanwhile, an alleged attack was also reported at the polling unit of ADC governorship candidate Najeem Salaam in Ward 4, Unit 13, Ejigbo. The development further underscored the security challenges surrounding the election, although voting continued in many other parts of the state.
As voting progresses, attention will now shift to the conduct of security agencies, the resolution of disruptions at affected polling units and the eventual collation of results.
The arrest of a serving state lawmaker alongside dozens of suspected political thugs has placed renewed focus on the ability of security agencies to prevent electoral malpractice while ensuring that voters are allowed to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation.
