The Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Zamfara State for alleged conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal diversion of N84.696 million meant for ad hoc staff allowance.
The arrested personnel include the administrative secretary, Mr. Hassan Aliyu; head of operations, Mr. Hussain Jafar; state accountant, Mr. Abdullahi Abubakar and Mr. Abdulmumin Usman.
The petitioner, one Abdullahi Nasiru, who wrote on behalf of INEC presiding officers for the 2019 presidential and governorship elections in Zamfara, alleged that the ad hoc staff were denied payment of their N6, 000 movement allowance each for the two elections.
He further alleged that what the commission paid them was different from what other states paid their ad hoc staff.
The INEC ad hoc staff in Zamfara were reportedly paid N9, 000 each, while other states like Sokoto paid N12, 000.