EFCC Arrests Over 65 Persons for Alleged Voter Inducement (photos)

No fewer than 65 individuals had been arrested by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC on Saturday March 18, 2023 throughout the 28 states the place Governorship and State Homes of Meeting elections had been performed, for alleged voter inducement.

An announcement from the fee states that twenty of the suspects had been arrested by operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command whereas 13 suspects had been nabbed by operatives on election monitoring obligation on the Kaduna Zonal Command. The groups monitoring the polls within the Port Harcourt Zone arrested a complete of 12 individuals for numerous offences bordering on inducing voters with cash to vote their most popular candidates, whereas the Uyo Zonal Command made 4 arrests in Calabar. The remaining suspects had been arrested in Gombe, Sokoto , kebbi and Niger states.

These arrested in Kaduna include 10 males and three females. They had been apprehended by operatives engaged on intelligence or chanced upon them in the course of the monitoring train. A suspect allegedly concerned in vote shopping for was nabbed at College Street, Unguwan Rimi Kaduna. The suspect who initially resisted arrest, is nonetheless in custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation. Additionally in Kaduna, the Tẹam led by ACE II Esmond Garba arrested one Buhari Muhammed in PU 002 Dogara Yaro Dagari space. He was arrested with Voter Coupons, which he confessed can be used to hint and pay those that voted for his get together.

Moreover, the group monitoring the voting train round LEA Kabala Doki, Kaduna led by CSE Wakilu Omokide additionally arrested two people suspected of vote shopping for. Upon their arrest, a complete sum of N67, 500, a listing containing names of voters with their PVC numbers and their checking account particulars amongst others, had been recovered from them.

Investigation up to now revealed that the key modus operandi of the suspects is to provide money, switch cash, coupons and ship recharge playing cards to eligible voters with a view to induce them to vote for his or her candidates. A search of their individuals and telephones revealed that the majority of them had transferred cash into the accounts of some voters on the lists recovered from them.

Among the objects recovered from the suspects embody, voters playing cards, monies, checklist containing names and account particulars of voters. Others are recharge playing cards.

Officers of the Kaduna Command additionally arrested two individuals in Niger State for alleged vote shopping for.The primary suspect, one Umar.B. Ibrahim was arrested at Peter Sarki Street polling unit primarily based on an intelligence. Upon looking out his car, an INEC ID tag (home election observer) bearing his identify and {photograph} and in addition a letter of appointment from BOS ( Bago Help Organisation) as Director Liaison, had been uncovered. On additional enquiry, he disclosed {that a} sure Mr. Usman Mohammed, who belongs to his political get together gave him the INEC ID tag. The second suspect, Isa Salihu Bababida, was arrested at Unguwar Nassarawa with a number of lists of names, account numbers and BVN.

In Port Harcourt, the election monitoring groups arrested 10 suspects in Port Harcourt alleged to be concerned in voter inducement at Moscow Street, Elekahia, Township, Mile 2, Ward 2 polling Unit 2 and 30, Ogbum, Phalga, Port Harcourt. The suspects had been arrested with A4 papers that had names, phone and account numbers of individuals suspected to be voters. Additionally two youths who had been alleged to be concerned in voter inducement had been arrested at Ward 2 Polling Unit 2 and 30, Ogbum, PHALGA, Port Harcourt Metropolis.

The 4 individuals arrested at totally different places in Calabar by the group from Uyo Zonal Command, led by CE Binta A. Rano, are at the moment volunteering their statements on the Felony Investigation Division, Cross River State Police Command.

the group arrested one Esther Asuquo Edem, the Girl Chief of one of many political events for Ward 11, Calabar South, Cross River State and two others, Edet Okon Etim and Asanwana Peter Eyo, for alleged vote shopping for in Calabar. The Girl Chief, who had a listing of suspected voters, their account numbers and 1000’s of Naira in money was apprehended inside an uncompleted constructing, beside her Ward in Calabar South, whereas Etim and Eyo had been arrested at Ward 12, Unit 11, at Kings Memorial College by Inyang Road, Abasi Obori, Calabar South.

The duo of Etim and Eyo had with them their very own lists and cash they allegedly utilized in shopping for vote

The 20 suspects arrested by the Ilorin Zonal Command are Adekunle Ademola, Wasiu Raimi, Laaro Rasheed, Alagbe Taiwo, Boniface Victory, Kayode Toba, Adeoye Adetunji, Lawal Favour, Abidoye Victoria Moradeyo, Magaji Iliasu, Abdulkadir Abdulmumini and Musa Lateef Olasunkanmi. Others are Marudeen Sadiq, Abogunrin Jimoh Oluwasesan, Funmilayo Lawal, Olawuyi Bolarin, Garuba Ismail, Abiola Abogunrin, Amidu Tiamiyu and Usman Abdulazeez.

They suspects, who had been arrested at totally different polling models throughout the State, had been caught with incriminating objects together with money of varied sums, pocket book containing checklist of voters names, POS machine, cellphones and voter playing cards, amongst others.

Upon interrogation, a number of the suspects recognized themselves as get together brokers whereas some admitted distributing cash to induce voters.

In Gombe, the Gombe Zonal Command led by ACE Faruk M. Dogondaji, made 10 arrests for alleged voter inducement, and recovered , 43 items of wrappers and N 1, 923,900 money.

Investigations are nonetheless ongoing to find out the culpability of every suspect.