Osun: Police arrest INEC staff, NYSC member for alleged electoral malpractice

The Osun State Police Command has warned that even as the gubernatorial is fast approaching, it is fully prepared to deal decisively with any individual caught in any act of electoral malpractice.

The Police made this known on Saturday in Osogbo as it revealed that the command has 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 by Yemisi Opalola, the Command spokesperson, the trio of Orji Desmond Ikenna, 29, Makanjuola Bilahu, 58 and Oluwatobi Oginni, 32, were arrested after a formal complaint was reported at the Osu Division on Wednesday, June 30, 2022.

Opalola stated that in their possession were 38 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and that they had allegedly colluded with Wale Ojo and Ijamakinwa Olaoluwa, both Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members for unknown financial transactions.

She disclosed that while the three INEC staff were arrested to investigate the level of their involvement, the police were on the trail of the fleeing suspects.

The statement revealed 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 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 who revealed that the Police Command has embarked on raiding identified black spots to fish out criminal elements as the July 16, gubernatorial election is fast approaching hinted that 18 suspected criminals had been arrested and were currently undergoing interrogation.

She also urged the people of the state to give prompt and useful information to assist the police in nipping criminal and electoral malpractices in the bud.