The Independent Commission on Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes (ICPC) arrested four vote-buyers in Sokoto and Katsina states during the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections on Saturday.
In their election monitoring operations in federation states, anti-corruption agency officials met some vote buyers at Kauran Miyo primary school in Bodingo town, Bodinga local government area, state from Sokoto.
The Commission’s Sokoto State Monitoring Team arrested the three male vote buyers: Mahe Bello, Musa Adamu and Mustapha Mohammed, all from Kauran Miyo Bodinga.
Mahe Bello was caught in possession of a cash sum of #38,000k, two PVCs, an ATM card and an Infinix phone, while Musa Adamu had in his possession CFA 228,000 which was offered to voters. The third suspect, Mustapha Mohammed, was arrested with some PVC in his possession.
However, the CIPC Monitoring Team was attacked while carrying out the arrest of the three vote-buyers. A Commission official, Rabiu Ibrahim, suffered a head injury from being hit by stones. He has been admitted to a hospital and is stable.
The three voters remained in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) before being transferred to the ICPC detention center in Sokoto.
In a related development, ICPC’s Katsina State Election Monitoring Team arrested Tanimu Tabale for buying votes at the Tashar Yamma Voting Unit in the Zango State Local Government Area.
Tabale, a 35-year-old man, claimed that he was an observer at the Makama Voting Unit but was arrested at the Tashar Yamma Voting Unit with the sum of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000.00) in different denominations attempting to buy the votes of the electorate.
One of ICCP’s Monitoring Teams in Delta state rescued a voter, Oge Nwaomose, from mafia action by party agents who accused her of buying votes.
Nwaomose was seen parading in Unit 13, District 6, shortly after casting her vote in Unit 8, District 13, Ogbu-Utu Primary School, Issele-Uku, North Aniocha Local Government Area, Delta State.
Anti-corruption agency officers at Voting Unit 13, Ward 6 in Issele-Uku, North Aniocha Local Government Area, Delta State, prevented further attacks on the lady, who then took her to the State Office for questioning. .
During a search conducted on it, the sum of six thousand naira (₦6,000) in denominations of 500 naira banknotes was found on it. She obtained her statement and was granted bail.
On February 25, the Commission arrested nine vote-buyers in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states during the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Signed:
Ms. Azuka Ogugua
ICPC spokesperson
March 18, 2023
