Police Free Osun SSG After Detention as Political Tension Persists Ahead of Governorship Poll

The Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaiye, has regained his freedom after spending hours in police custody following his arrest during a raid on his residence in Osogbo, a development that has continued to generate political reactions ahead of the state’s governorship election.

Igbalaiye’s release was confirmed on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who announced that the senior government official had been freed by the Osun State Police Command. The campaign council is coordinating Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election bid.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun State, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, also confirmed that the SSG had been released, although he did not provide further details on whether investigations into the case had been concluded.

The release follows a dramatic operation carried out on Wednesday when police operatives stormed Igbalaiye’s residence in Osogbo and arrested him alongside five other individuals. The operation immediately heightened political tensions in the state, with the Osun State Government accusing the police of targeting senior officials of Governor Adeleke’s administration.

Police had maintained that the operation was intelligence-driven. According to the command, one of the individuals arrested at the residence, Oladele Abiodun, had been on its watchlist over alleged criminal activities. Other persons taken into custody included Akande Taiwo, 60; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; and Aderemi Musliu, 40. Investigators also disclosed that exhibits were recovered during the operation, while some of those detained were later screened and found not to be linked to the allegations.

The arrests sparked sharp criticism from Governor Ademola Adeleke’s camp, which described the police action as politically motivated. State officials alleged that security operatives had conducted similar raids on the homes of commissioners and other top government functionaries without proper justification, accusing the police of attempting to intimidate members of the administration ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

The Osun State Government further claimed that the raids formed part of a wider pattern of harassment against officials of the ruling administration, an allegation the police have not accepted. Authorities insisted that their actions were based strictly on intelligence and ongoing criminal investigations rather than political considerations.

Following Igbalaiye’s release, the Imole Campaign Council welcomed the development, thanking the Inspector-General of Police and the Osun State Commissioner of Police for what it described as listening to public appeals and allowing the SSG to regain his freedom. The council described the release as a victory for justice and the rule of law while expressing confidence that democratic principles would prevail during the election period.

The incident has added to the charged political atmosphere in Osun as political parties intensify campaigns ahead of the governorship poll. Security agencies have repeatedly assured residents that they will remain neutral and professional throughout the electoral process, while stakeholders continue to call for peaceful campaigns and adherence to the rule of law.

Although the SSG has now been released, it remains unclear whether police investigations into the circumstances surrounding the raid and the other individuals arrested have been concluded. Observers say developments in the coming days will be closely watched as Osun prepares for one of its most keenly contested governorship elections in recent years.