ICPC arrests four suspected vote buyers in Sokoto, Katsina

At Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offenses Commission (ICPC) has arrested four vote buyers in Sokoto and Katsina States during Saturday’s governorship and house elections.

In an election monitoring operation across the State of the Federation, officers from the anti-corruption agency met some vote buyers at Kauran Miyo Primary School in Bodingo Town of Bodinga Local Government Area of ​​Sokoto State.

The Commission’s Sokoto State Monitoring Team arrested three male vote buyers – Mahe Bello, Musa Adamu and Mustapha Mohammed, all Miyo Bodinga Kauran.

Mahe Bello was caught in possession of the amount of cash #38,000k, two PVCs, one ATM Card and an Infinix phone while Musa Adamu had CFA 228,000 in his possession which was offered to voters. The third suspect, Mustapha Mohammed, was arrested with several PVCs in his possession.

The ICPC Monitoring Team, however, was attacked while carrying out the arrest of three vote buyers. An officer of the Commission, Rabiu Ibrahim, suffered a head injury when he was hit by a stone. He has been hospitalized and is in stable condition.

The three voters were detained at the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) before being sent to the ICPC detention facility in Sokoto.

In a related development, ICPC Katsina State Election Monitoring Team arrested one Tanimu Tabale for buying votes at Tashar Yamma Polling Unit in Zango Local Government Area of ​​the State.

Tabale, a 35-year-old man, claimed to be an observer at Makama Polling Unit but was arrested at Tashar Yamma Polling Unit with the sum of twenty thousand Naira (N20,000.00) in various denominations trying to buy voters’ votes.

One of the ICPC Monitoring Team in Delta State rescued a female voter, Oge Nwaomose, from mob action by agents of some parties who accused her of vote buying.

Nwaomose seen paraded in Unit 13 Ward 6, shortly after voting in Unit 8 Ward 13, Ogbu-Utu Primary School, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State

Officers of the anti-corruption agency at Polling Unit 13 Ward 6 in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, prevented further attacks on the woman, who then took her to the State Office for interrogation.

During the search conducted on him, the sum of Six Thousand Naira (₦6,000) in denomination of 500 naira currency was found on him. His statement was accepted and he was granted bail.

The commission on February 25 arrested nine vote buyers in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

signed:

Mrs. Azuka Ogugua

ICPC Spokesperson

March 18, 2023