Osun decides: Police arrest lawmaker, 143 suspected electoral mercenaries in Ikire

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The Osun State Police Command has arrested a serving member of the State House of Assembly, Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, alongside 143 suspected electoral mercenaries allegedly camped at his residence in Ikire.

Inaolaji, who represents the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the state Assembly, was arrested during a police operation on Friday night, with more than 200 Permanent Voter Cards reportedly recovered from the residence.

The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were brought into Osun from Ondo State to participate in alleged unlawful electoral activities.

According to the command, the suspects told investigators that they were recruited by a yet-to-be-identified politician who allegedly facilitated the procurement of voters’ cards for them and promised them financial rewards for voting.

In a video clip, Inaolaji was seen making a preliminary statement in which he identified himself and allegedly admitted facilitating the movement of the 143 suspects into Osun from neighbouring states for the election.

The command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident and said investigations had commenced to identify and apprehend other accomplices still at large.