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The Osun State Police Command has arrested a serving member of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, alongside 146 suspected electoral mercenaries allegedly found at his residence in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state.
Inaolaji, who represents the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday during a police operation, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi.
The police said the operation led to the recovery of 200 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the lawmaker’s residence, alongside the arrest of the suspected electoral operatives.
A video clip released after the arrest showed Inaolaji identifying himself and allegedly stating that he facilitated the movement of the 146 suspects into Osun State from neighbouring states to participate in the governorship election. The allegation remains under investigation.
Ojelabi said the Police Force Intelligence Response Team carried out the arrest as part of efforts to prevent activities that could undermine the election’s credibility.
In a separate operation at Babs Hotel, located behind the State High Court in Ede, police operatives from the Anti-Robbery Section and Violent Crime Response Unit arrested another 33 suspected electoral mercenaries.
The suspects, comprising 30 men and three women, were allegedly brought into Osun from Ondo State for unlawful electoral activities. Police reportedly recovered four voter cards from them as exhibits.
According to the police, preliminary investigations showed that the suspects claimed an unidentified politician recruited them and promised financial rewards in exchange for voting.
The command said further investigations would identify those allegedly involved and establish the roles of individuals connected to the alleged operations.
The arrests come as security agencies intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts during the Osun governorship election to curb electoral offences and protect the integrity of the voting process.
