Ime Akpan
TheEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday arrested two suspected vote-buying agents with huge sums in Benue and Kwara states, North central Nigeria.
It was gathered that the suspect in Benue who was arrested in Makurdi with millions of naira (exact amount undisclosed) claimed he was an agent of APC working for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Jimeh.
EFCC also tweeted about the seizure.
#Video Cash meant for vote-buying intercepted by EFCC operatives in Makurdi, Benue State. #SayNoToVoteBuying pic.twitter.com/EjPrfAJL5I
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) March 9, 2019
“#Polls At North Bank Area, Makurdi, Benue State, EFCC operatives intercept bags of cash meant for vote-buying. In an attempt to arrest the culprit, some thugs attacked operatives and vandalised the bus used for patrol. #SayNoToVoteBuying”.
#Polls At North Bank Area, Makurdi, Benue State, EFCC operatives intercept bags of cash meant for vote-buying. In an attempt to arrest the culprit, some thugs attacked operatives and vandalised the bus used for patrol. #SayNoToVoteBuying pic.twitter.com/LhalUk2RZq
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) March 9, 2019
In Ilorin Kwara State, operative of the commission also apprehended a middle-aged man Mr. Abdulkareem Abdulsalem, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin zonal office, for sharing money to voters at unit 7, Kwara State College of Education in Ilorin.
The agency also arrested two party agents with the sum of N1.5m in cash which was prepared for vote buying at polling units.
The EFCC, which announced the arrest, said the agents were picked up by operatives of its Maiduguri Zonal office.
The arrested agents included one Abba Ali Abbari, who was hired to distribute some money to people from Auno, Dalwa, Jakana in Konduga local government area of Borno state.
“Abbari was arrested at the NYSC Internally Displaced Persons camp with the sum of N1, 290,000.00, with a template given to him by a party chairman election committee to pay the sum of N50, 000 to party agents, according to him,” said EFCC in a statement.
Also arrested was Garba Isah, another party agent, who was caught with hundreds of thousands of naira inside an IDP camp.
“Similarly, Alhaji Garba Isah a party stakeholder was arrested by Operatives of the Maiduguri Zonal office at Ali Mongonu Teacher’s Village Internally Displaced Persons camp with the sum of N300, 000.00, while distributing to voters from Kukawa and Doran Baga in the camp.
“According to him, “my duty is to take care of ballot boxes and to equally share money to voters. This particular money was given to me by a stakeholder.” Isah stated during an interview.
“While making the arrest at Teacher’s Village IDP camp, the beneficiaries vandalized a vehicle belonging to a staff of the Commission. The DPO of Doran Baga who intervened, saved the situation,” EFCC reported.
Also an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was arrested for alleged vote-buying at ward 1, unit 1, Obada Ede local government area of Osun State.
TheCable reports that the agent whose identity was not disclosed was said to have brought out money openly, forcing security operatives at the unit to pick him up.
