The Osun State Police Command on Saturday arrested a serving member of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, alongside 146 suspected electoral mercenaries allegedly harboured at his residence in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state.
Inaolaji, who represents the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency, was said to have been apprehended in the early hours of Saturday during a police operation. The suspects and 200 PVCs were reportedly recovered during a raid on his residence.
The disclosure was made by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abiodun Ojelabi.
In a video clip obtained after the arrest, the lawmaker was spotted making a preliminary statement in which he identified himself and allegedly stated that he facilitated the movement of the 146 suspects into Osun State from neighbouring states to participate in the governorship election.
Although the allegation was still being investigated, Ojelabi confirmed that Inaolaji was arrested in the early hours of Saturday.
He further explained that the operation was carried out by the FBI IRT as part of intensified security measures to curb activities capable of undermining the credibility of the Osun State governorship election.
In a separate operation at Babs Hotel, located behind the State High Court in Ede, operatives of the Anti-Robbery Section and Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) arrested 33 suspected electoral mercenaries comprising 30 males and three females.
Police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were brought into Osun from Ondo State for alleged unlawful electoral activities, while four voters’ cards were recovered from them as exhibits.
The suspects reportedly told investigators that an unidentified politician recruited them and promised them financial rewards in exchange for voting, with further investigation expected to establish the identities and roles of those behind the alleged operation.
