Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Oluwole Jimi-Bada, SAN, has raised serious concerns over the reported police raid on the residence of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), subsequent arrests and the SSG’s detention after he voluntarily reported to police authorities.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, Jimi-Bada stressed that the Osun State Government recognises the constitutional authority of the Nigeria Police Force and would neither obstruct lawful investigations nor shield anyone reasonably suspected of criminal conduct.
However, he insisted that law-enforcement agencies themselves remain subject to the Constitution and must exercise their powers fairly, lawfully and without political bias.
According to the Attorney-General’s account, the SSG was not present when his residence was reportedly raided on July 29. He subsequently went voluntarily to the Force Headquarters after learning that people found at his residence had been arrested, reportedly intending to assist with the investigation and seek their administrative bail.
Jimi-Bada questioned why the SSG was subsequently detained and called on police authorities to disclose the specific offence allegedly linking him personally to criminal conduct.
The controversy comes barely weeks before Osun’s governorship election. INEC has officially confirmed that the election will hold on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The Attorney-General also challenged suggestions that money reportedly found or distributed at the residence automatically constituted evidence of vote-buying. He maintained that political parties legitimately incur expenditure on transportation, mobilisation, communication and other campaign logistics, while acknowledging that actual voter inducement remains prohibited.
Under Nigeria’s electoral law, bribery includes corruptly giving, offering or paying money or other benefits with the intention of inducing a person to procure a candidate’s election or a voter’s vote. Consequently, whether particular funds constitute legitimate logistics or electoral bribery ultimately depends on evidence concerning their purpose and circumstances.
Jimi-Bada similarly addressed reports concerning Permanent Voter Cards allegedly found during the operation. He argued that possession of one’s own PVC should not, without additional evidence, be portrayed as criminal conduct. Electoral law specifically prohibits unlawful possession of another person’s voter card as well as buying, selling or otherwise unlawfully dealing in voter cards.
He further noted that INEC had already provided political parties with copies of the Osun voters’ register. That point is independently supported by INEC-related reporting: on July 9, the Commission presented the register containing 2,339,233 eligible voters to political parties, while expressly warning parties against using the register for voter inducement, intimidation, profiling or manipulation.
The Attorney-General therefore demanded clarity on whether any PVC allegedly recovered belonged to someone other than its lawful holder, whether any voter had complained of being offered money for a vote, and what evidence existed linking the funds reportedly recovered to electoral inducement.
He also rejected any attempt to hold the SSG responsible merely because another person reportedly arrested at his residence was allegedly wanted over an earlier offence.
“Criminal liability is personal,” was the substance of his argument, insisting that association with an alleged suspect cannot, without further evidence, establish another person’s criminal responsibility.
Jimi-Bada further reminded law-enforcement authorities of constitutional safeguards protecting arrested persons. Section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution requires an arrested or detained person to be informed of the grounds for detention and provides for appearance before a court within a constitutionally defined reasonable period.
He consequently called on the Inspector-General of Police to review the operation and demanded the SSG’s release unless credible evidence links him personally to a specific offence. He similarly urged that other detainees either be released or processed before a competent court in accordance with constitutional requirements.
The Attorney-General appealed to INEC, the Nigerian Bar Association, National Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations and election observers to closely monitor security agencies ahead of the August 15 election.
“The forthcoming governorship election must be decided by the people of Osun State through their votes,” Jimi-Bada maintained, calling for calm among residents and professionalism, neutrality and restraint from security agencies.
He concluded that the Osun State Government would support investigations into genuine electoral offences but would oppose what it considers selective enforcement, arbitrary detention or the criminalisation of lawful political activity.
“Democracy is protected by law,” he declared, reaffirming his commitment to due process, constitutional rights and the rule of law.
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