Osun poll: Security operatives arrest over 100 suspected ‘imported voters’ [VIDEO]

Security operatives have reportedly arrested more than 100 people allegedly brought into Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election and allegedly camped at the residence of a member of the Accord Party.

The development has raised fresh concerns over alleged attempts to manipulate the electoral process through the movement and deployment of voters from outside their usual areas of registration.

The individuals, who were reportedly found in possession of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), were said to have been staying at the residence of Hon. Abiola Ibrahim ahead of the election.

A video circulating widely on social media showed the alleged voters being questioned by security operatives following their arrest.

In the footage, some of those arrested were reportedly asked about their presence at the residence and the purpose of their stay.

Ibrahim, who was identified in the video and reports surrounding the incident, allegedly admitted that the large group had been accommodated at his residence to vote for the Accord Party in the governorship election.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged movement of the voters, including where they came from, when they arrived in Osun and how they obtained their PVCs, were not immediately clear.

Ibrahim is reportedly a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing the Irewole-Isokan Constituency.

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The allegation comes as political tension mounts across Osun ahead of the governorship poll, with the major political parties intensifying their mobilisation efforts and accusing one another of attempting to gain an unfair advantage.

The alleged discovery is particularly significant because the use of individuals brought into an electoral area for the purpose of influencing voting patterns could raise serious questions about compliance with Nigeria’s electoral laws.

However, the allegations contained in the circulating video had not been independently verified at the time of filing this report.

It also remained unclear which security agency carried out the reported arrests, the exact number of people detained and whether any of them had been formally charged with an electoral offence.

Efforts to obtain an immediate reaction from the Osun State Police Command were unsuccessful at press time.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies are expected to closely monitor voter accreditation and voting activities across the state, particularly in areas identified as politically sensitive.

With the election already underway, the incident could further heighten scrutiny of voter mobilisation, PVC usage and alleged attempts by political actors to influence the outcome of the closely contested governorship election.

Authorities are expected to clarify the identities of those arrested, their voting locations and whether the circumstances surrounding their presence in the area constitute any breach of Nigeria’s electoral laws.