The Osun State Police Command has released the Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaiye, less than 24 hours after he was arrested during a police operation at his residence in Osogbo.
His release was confirmed on Thursday by both the police and the Imole Campaign Council, the political group leading the re-election campaign of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
While Igbalaiye has regained his freedom, the police said investigations into alleged electoral offences and other suspected criminal activities linked to the operation are still ongoing.
The development comes at a politically sensitive period, with Osun State preparing for the governorship election scheduled for August 15. Political activities have intensified across the state, with security agencies repeatedly assuring residents that they will remain neutral while enforcing the law.
The announcement of Igbalaiye’s release was first made by the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, in a post on his verified Facebook page.
Olajengbesi thanked the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in Osun State for what he described as responding to public calls for justice.
“We sincerely appreciate the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, for listening to the voice of reason despite pressure and for responding to the people’s demand regarding the unlawful arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Igbalaye Teslim,” he wrote.
He further said the Nigeria Police Force serves the country best when it protects justice and the rule of law.
“Welcome back, Chief Igbalaye Teslim. Your courage and sacrifice for the people of Osun State will not be forgotten. Our SSG is out, back and solid,” the statement added.
The spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, also confirmed the release during a telephone conversation with journalists in Osogbo.
Although the police did not immediately disclose the conditions attached to his release, they maintained that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest remains active.
Igbalaiye and five other persons were arrested on Wednesday after police officers carried out a raid on his residence in Osogbo.
According to the police, the operation followed intelligence reports indicating that a suspected criminal gang was operating from the location.
During the raid, officers arrested six persons, including Igbalaiye.
The police identified the other suspects as Akande Taiwo, 60; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; Aderemi Musliu, 40; and Oladele Abiodun, who the command described as a suspect already on the police watchlist over alleged criminal offences.
Police said the operation also led to the recovery of several items from the residence.
According to Ojelabi, officers recovered N4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15, one Dynabook laptop, a photocopy machine and a printer.
The recovered items have been taken into police custody for forensic examination and further investigation.
The command said the discovery of the cash and voter register raised concerns about possible electoral offences ahead of the governorship election.
Ojelabi explained that the available evidence gave investigators reasonable grounds to examine whether any laws had been violated.
He said the offences under investigation include alleged vote buying, criminal conspiracy and harbouring a wanted suspect.
According to him, investigators are looking into possible violations of Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which prohibits bribery of voters through the distribution of money or other forms of inducement intended to influence voting decisions.
The police also said they would investigate whether any of the suspects knowingly sheltered or assisted a wanted person, as well as any additional offences that may emerge from the investigation.
The command stressed that the investigation is still ongoing and that conclusions would only be reached after all available evidence has been examined.
The arrest of the SSG immediately generated political reactions across the state.
The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, accused the police of carrying out a politically motivated arrest.
According to him, the arrest followed an incident at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Egbedun alleged that the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, ordered the arrest after some participants at the meeting booed him.
The Speaker further claimed that the commissioner noticed Igbalaiye laughing during the incident and later instructed officers to arrest him.
He also alleged that the SSG received information that police officers were already waiting at his residence before the raid took place.
However, the police rejected suggestions that the operation was politically motivated.
The command insisted that the raid was based solely on intelligence reports linking some of the suspects to criminal activities.
According to the police, the operation was lawful and was not connected to any disagreement or incident at the INEC stakeholders’ meeting.
The contrasting accounts have added another layer of controversy to the incident, with political supporters from both sides offering different interpretations of what happened.
The arrest also comes amid heightened political tension in Osun as parties intensify campaigns ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Security agencies have repeatedly assured political parties and voters that they will provide a level playing field and ensure that the election is peaceful, free and credible.
In recent weeks, the police have increased surveillance across the state and warned politicians against engaging in vote buying, violence or any act capable of disrupting the electoral process.
The Electoral Act 2022 prescribes penalties for vote buying and other forms of electoral misconduct. Security agencies have consistently said they will investigate and prosecute anyone found violating the law, regardless of political affiliation.
While Igbalaiye has been released from police custody, the recovery of cash, voter materials and other items means the investigation is far from over.
The outcome of the police probe could determine whether formal charges will eventually be filed against any of the suspects or whether they will be cleared after investigators complete their work.
For now, both the state government and the police appear to be standing by their positions. The government’s supporters insist the arrest was unjustified, while the police maintain that the operation was intelligence-driven and necessary as part of efforts to prevent electoral offences and uphold the law ahead of the governorship election.