The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arrested four vote‑buyers during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections on Saturday, March 18. In Sokoto State, the commission’s monitoring team encountered the offenders at Kauran Miyo Primary School in Bodingo Town, Bodinga Local Government Area. According to spokesperson Azuka Ogugua, three men—Mahe Bello, Musa Adamu and Mustapha Mohammed, all residents of Kauran Miyo—were taken into custody. Bello was found with ₦38,000 in cash, two PVCs, an ATM card and an Infinix phone; Adamu possessed ₦228,000 that he was offering to voters; and Mohammed was found with several PVCs.
During the arrests, the ICPC team was attacked. Officer Rabiu Ibrahim suffered a head injury after being struck by stones and was hospitalized in stable condition. The three suspects were initially held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps before being transferred to the ICPC detention facility in Sokoto. The commission previously reported that, on February 25, it had arrested nine vote‑buyers in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states during the presidential and National Assembly elections.
In Katsina State, the ICPC monitoring team arrested a fourth individual, 35‑year‑old Tanimu Tabale, at the Tashar Yamma polling unit in Zango Local Government Area. Tabale claimed to be an observer at Makama polling unit but was found with ₦20,000 in various denominations, allegedly intended to buy votes.
A separate incident occurred in Delta State, where ICPC officers rescued a female voter, Oge Nwaomose, from a mob of party agents who accused her of vote‑buying. Nwaomose had been seen moving from Unit 8, Ward 13 (Ogbu‑Utu Primary School, Issele‑Uku, Aniocha North LGA) to Unit 13, Ward 6, where she was confronted. ICPC officers intervened, escorted her to the state office for interrogation, and discovered ₦6,000 in 500‑naira notes on her. After giving a statement, she was granted bail.
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