The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Abiola Ibrahim, a lawmaker from the Accord Party representing the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, along with 146 individuals suspected of being mercenaries.
The arrest was confirmed by DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, who stated that operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Intelligence Response Team were responsible for the operation.
It was reported earlier that over 100 potential voters had allegedly been brought into Osun State by a member of the Accord Party ahead of the gubernatorial election, leading to their arrest.
“He was detained in Ikire for sheltering suspected mercenaries, along with approximately 146 people,” explained the police spokesman. “The FBI-IRT apprehended him, and he is currently in their custody. The arrest took place in the early hours of Saturday.”
Footage of the operation showed uniformed police officers questioning Ibrahim at his residence about the presence of the suspected mercenaries.
In the video, when questioned, the lawmaker maintained that those gathered were registered voters who were there to participate in the election. “They are voters for today’s election. Some of them are indigenes from elsewhere. I did not hire them or make any promises. Voting is their choice. I am not their agent,” he asserted.
