As the gubernatorial election approaches, the Osun State Police Command has warned that it is fully prepared to deal decisively with any individual caught in any act of electoral malpractice.
On Saturday in Osogbo, the police revealed that the command had apprehended two Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staffs and a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Osu, Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement released by Yemisi Opalola, the Command spokesperson, the trio of Orji Desmond Ikenna, 29, Makanjuola Bilahu, 58, and Oluwatobi Oginni, 32, were arrested on Thursday, June 30, 2022, after a formal complaint was reported at the Osu Division.
Opalola stated that they had 38 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in their possession and that they had allegedly conspired with Wale Ojo and Ijamakinwa Olaoluwa, both PDP members, for unknown financial transactions.
She revealed that while the three INEC employees were detained to investigate their level of involvement, police were on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
It was disclosed in the statement that, “On 30th June, 2022 at about 1040hrs, the complainant reported at Osu Division that, on 29th June, 2022, at about 1000hrs, he went to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), office located at Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Osu, Osun State to collect his permanent Voter’s Card but could not find it.
“He consequently demanded for the register and discovered that, one Orji Desmond Nkenna, a corps member attached to INEC office as an ad-hoc staff in charge of voter’s card distribution has collected his PVC on the order of one Wale Ojo and Ijamakinwa Olaoluwa now at large both members of the People Democratic Party (PDP) for financial transaction.
“On receipt of the complaint, police detective immediately swung into action and arrested the principal suspect along with the INEC supervisor to the alleged corps member Mrs Makanjuola Bilahu ‘f’ aged 58 years and one Mr. Oluwatobi Ogini ‘m’ aged 32 years to investigate the level of their involvement.
“Meanwhile, the police are on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
“The suspects will be charged to court after the completion of investigation.”
The Osun Police spokesperson revealed that the Police Command has begun raiding identified black spots to catch criminal elements as the July 16 gubernatorial election approaches, implying that 18 suspected criminals have been arrested and are being interrogated.
She also urged the people of the state to provide timely and useful information to assist police in preventing criminal and electoral malpractices.
