Picture: Hundreds of people found in Osun lawmaker Abiola Ibrahim’s home
Hours before Osun voters head to the polls, police have arrested a sitting lawmaker and more than 300 people allegedly imported to influence Saturday’s governorship election.
*Abiola Ibrahim*, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing Irewole/Isokan constituency on the platform of the Accord Party, was picked up on Friday night at his residence in Ikire.
The arrest followed a tip-off that led police to what the command described as a gathering of suspected “electoral mercenaries.”
In a trending video, Ibrahim was seen making a preliminary statement. He identified himself and allegedly admitted to facilitating the movement of about 146 people from neighbouring states into Osun to vote in the election.
Police said the raid also led to the recovery of more than 200 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, that were not accounted for by their owners.
The operation came amid heightened security across the state as authorities moved to safeguard the credibility of the governorship poll.
Osun Police Spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, told journalists the command had earlier received a complaint from the Speaker of the State House of Assembly alleging that armed men had besieged his residence.
“We had gotten a complaint and immediately, the complaint unit of the Nigeria Police Force swung into action,” Ojelabi said.
“We contacted the DPO of that area and directed him to proceed to the residence of the speaker… following the alarm he raised that armed men had besieged his house. But we could not confirm that allegation.”
Instead, operatives tracked the lead to another location.
“However, we also made an arrest at a stakeholder’s residence, where we located 300 unaccounted individuals. Presently, we are profiling them,” Ojelabi added.
He assured residents that Osun remains calm and urged them to “come out en masse to vote.”
Today’s election is being held across the state’s 30 local government areas with 15 candidates in the race. It is widely seen as a two-horse contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord and Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Police said investigations are ongoing and those arrested will be processed in line with electoral law.
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