The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has arrested 19 individuals suspected of vote buying in Katsina, Kano, Benue, and the Federal Capital Territory. According to Farul Dogondaji, the EFCC Kano Zonal Commander, 16 of the suspects were apprehended in Kano, while one was arrested in Katsina. Dogondaji reported that six suspects were caught in the Tofa and Ungogo local government areas with bags of rice and semovita. Additionally, ten suspects were arrested at Kofar Danagundi and Kwalli Primary School in the Municipal Local Government Area. One suspect was found in the Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State with 60 wrappers. All suspects were detained while attempting to distribute these items to influence voters during the presidential and National Assembly elections. Dogondaji stated that the suspects would be arraigned following the investigation.
In Benue, the EFCC arrested Dr. Cletus Tyokyar, the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council. His arrest occurred on Saturday at the RCM polling unit in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area, where he was found with N306,700 in various denominations concealed in his car. The EFCC reported that Tyokyar’s luck ran out when he drove to a voting center different from his designated polling unit and attempted to flee upon noticing the Commission’s operatives. However, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom criticized Tyokyar’s arrest, labeling the EFCC as an agent of destabilization. He expressed his dismay, stating, “This is a shame. The EFCC this morning in Guma here arrested our DG campaign because they found just N100,000 on him. Personally, I have more than that.”
The commission also reported the arrest of another individual for alleged vote buying with N194,000 at the Gidan Zakka polling unit in the Goron Dutse area of Kano Municipal Local Government. Furthermore, a party agent was apprehended in Abaji, Federal Capital Territory, for buying votes through bank transfers. In Calabar, Cross River State, two suspects, Stanley Nsemo and Eno Amponsah, were arrested with $450 and N156,800 on suspicion of vote buying. Additionally, the EFCC arrested a woman named Maryam Mamman Alhaji in the Badarwa area of Kaduna State. She was caught with 18 voter cards after undercover operatives posed as individuals desperate to sell voter cards. Currently, she is being interrogated by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC to uncover other members of her syndicate, who she claims are also collecting voter cards and making payments through point-of-sale (PoS) or direct bank transfers.
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