The Osun State Police Command has arrested a serving member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, alongside 146 suspected electoral mercenaries camped at his residence in Ikire.
The lawmaker, who represents Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, was arrested on Friday night during a police operation.
More than 200 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were reportedly recovered during the operation.
In a video clip, Ibrahim was seen making a preliminary statement in which he identified himself and allegedly confessed to facilitating the movement of the 146 suspects into Osun State from neighbouring states for the purpose of voting in the election.
The arrest is part of intensified security operations by the police ahead of the election, as the command moves to prevent activities capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were brought into Osun State from Ondo State to participate in unlawful electoral activities.
The suspects reportedly told investigators that they were recruited by a yet-to-be-identified politician, who allegedly facilitated the procurement of voters’ cards for them and instructed them to vote in exchange for financial rewards.
The command spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi while confirming the incident, said investigations had commenced to identify and apprehend other accomplices still at large and to unravel the full extent of the alleged network involved in the recruitment of electoral mercenaries, voter inducement and other related offences.
GISTSMATE MEDIA reports that voting has commenced across Osun State, with voters trooping out to various polling units to exercise their franchise in the governorship election.
