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Osun Secretary Teslim Igbalaye Arrested, Released Amid Election Tensions
On July 29, 2026, Osun State Police Command raided the residence of Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye in Osogbo, arresting him and five others. The operation yielded ₦4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards, a voter register covering Wards 1‑15, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine and a printer. Police said the raid was driven by credible intelligence that a criminal gang was operating in the Oroki Estate area and warned that the recovered items raised concerns of possible electoral offences such as vote‑buying.
The Accord Party claimed that about 100 of its leaders, candidates, members and supporters had been arrested ahead of the August 15 governorship election, describing the arrests as politically motivated intimidation. The state government accused the police of conducting the raid without a valid search warrant and called it an unlawful assault on the government.
Teslim Igbalaye was released by the police less than 24 hours after his arrest following pressure from political leaders and civil society. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended the Permanent Voter Card collection deadline to July 31, deployed 4,427 BVAS machines, scheduled a mock accreditation on August 1 and affirmed that the ballot, not violence, will decide the election. Fourteen political parties signed a peace accord to ensure a non‑violent poll, and INEC officials inspected local government offices to confirm operational readiness for the August 15 contest.
Entities
Abiodun Arowomole · Abiodun Arowomole (Ashipa) · Abiodun Ojelabi · Accord Party · Ademola Adeleke · Ibrahim Gotan · Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) · Joash Amupitan · Maxwell Mgbudem · Olatunji Disu · Oluomo Kolapo Alimi · Osogbo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] Teslim Igbalaye, Secretary to the Osun State Government, was arrested by the Osun State Police Command during the raid. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.osunstate.gov.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.qed.ng · +1 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] The raid was conducted based on credible intelligence about a criminal gang operating around the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.osunstate.gov.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.qed.ng · +2 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The recovery of the cash and voter register raised concerns of possible electoral offences, including vote‑buying under Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.osunstate.gov.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.qed.ng · +1 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] Police recovered ₦4,810,500 cash, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine, a printer, two Permanent Voter Cards and a voter register for wards 1‑15 from Igbalaye’s residence. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.osunstate.gov.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.qed.ng · +4 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Abiodun Arowomole, known as “Ashipa,” was identified as a wanted suspect on the police watch‑list for alleged murder and other crimes. theglittersonline.com.ng · thenigerialawyer.com · thevoicenewsmagazine.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan described the allegations as serious and warned they could affect public security, the justice system and the credibility of the democratic process.
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Osun State Government alleges the police raid was conducted without a valid search warrant and was politically motivated. www.osunstate.gov.ng · thepodiummedia.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.worldstagenews.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] Six persons were detained: Teslim Igbalaye, Akande Taiwo, Oladeun Abiodun, Adeyemo Lukman, Olaoye Muftau and Aderemi Musliu. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.osunstate.gov.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · thenigerialawyer.com · www.qed.ng · +1 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The six detained individuals were Teslim Igbalaye, Akande Taiwo, Oladele Abiodun, Adeyemo Lukman, Olaoye Muftau and Aderemi Musliu. theglittersonline.com.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.qed.ng
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Osun State Government accused the police of conducting the raid without a valid search warrant and called it politically motivated. thepodiummedia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Police said the raid was based on credible intelligence about a criminal gang operating around the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo. theglittersonline.com.ng · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.qed.ng
- [● 2 SOURCES] INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced that the ballot will decide the Osun governorship election and extended PVC collection to July 31. www.worldstagenews.com