The Osun State Police Command has released Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye following his arrest alongside five others during a raid on his residence in Osogbo.

The police have released the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, less than 24 hours after detaining him over allegations of vote-buying and other suspected electoral offences.

Igbalaye was arrested on Wednesday, July 29, alongside five other people after police operatives raided his residence in the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo. His release was confirmed on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, as well as representatives of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign organisation.

The police said the operation was conducted following intelligence that suspected criminals were staying at the property.

According to the command, officers recovered ₦4,810,500 in cash, two Permanent Voter Cards, a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15, a laptop, a photocopying machine and a printer from the residence.

Police authorities said the money and electoral materials raised suspicions of possible voter inducement and other criminal activities ahead of the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.

The command said the allegations being investigated included bribery of voters under Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, criminal conspiracy and the alleged harbouring of a wanted suspect.

Police also claimed that one of those arrested at the residence, identified as Oladele Abiodun, was on a watchlist in connection with criminal offences. However, no court has convicted Igbalaye or the other detainees over the allegations, and the police had not announced any formal charges against the SSG as of the time of this report.

The Osun State Government rejected the allegations, describing the raid and arrest as politically motivated.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said ward officials were holding a political meeting at the residence while Igbalaye was attending a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The government also alleged that police officers entered the property without presenting a proper search warrant and accused the command of targeting senior government officials and members of the ruling Accord Party ahead of the election.

Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, welcomed Igbalaye’s release and praised the Inspector-General of Police and the Osun commissioner of police for responding to calls for his freedom.

However, the campaign organisation maintained that the arrest was unlawful and demanded the release of other party members allegedly being held by security agencies.

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, also criticised the arrest and accused the state police commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, of using his office to intimidate political figures.

Egbedun alleged that the arrest followed an incident at the INEC stakeholders’ meeting where the commissioner was reportedly booed by some participants. The police maintained that the raid was based on intelligence and was unrelated to the alleged incident at the meeting.

Although Igbalaye has regained his freedom, police authorities have not publicly explained the specific conditions surrounding his release. It also remains unclear whether the investigation has been concluded or whether charges will eventually be filed against him or any of the other people arrested.

The incident has increased political tension in Osun State as Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, prepares to seek re-election against Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and candidates of other political parties.