Osun Lawmaker Abiola Ibrahim Arrested With 146 Suspected Mercenaries

The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Abiola Ibrahim, a lawmaker representing the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, along with 146 individuals described as suspected mercenaries.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the operation on Saturday, stating that operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Intelligence Response Team (FBI-IRT) effected the arrest in Ikire in the early hours of the day. The lawmaker and the group remain in the custody of the FBI-IRT.

According to the police spokesman, Ibrahim was arrested for allegedly harbouring the suspected mercenaries. Earlier reports indicated that over 100 individuals, described as intending voters, were intercepted over allegations they had been imported into the state by a member of the Accord Party ahead of a gubernatorial election.

Footage from the scene captured uniformed officers questioning Ibrahim at the residence regarding the presence of the group. In the video, the lawmaker maintained that those gathered were registered voters participating in the election scheduled for that day. He stated that some were indigenes returning from outside the constituency and denied hiring them, promising them inducements, or acting as their agent.

The police have not released further details on the specific charges or the next steps in the investigation. The development underscores ongoing security concerns surrounding electoral processes in the region.