The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reports that some suspects involved in vote-buying have been detained in Benue state by its agents who are observing the presidential and national assembly elections.
In a statement, the EFCC claimed that it had apprehended a lecturer at Makurdi, Benue State's Sarwuan Tarka University with the sum of N306, 700 hidden in his car in various denominations.
Suspected vote buyers were detained by EFCC agents who were on the lookout for them during the presidential and national assembly elections. Dr. Cletus Tyokyaa, a lecturer at the Sarwuan Tarka University in Makurdi, Benue State, was detained at the RCM Polling Unit in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area of the state, with the sum of N306, 700 in various denominations stashed in his car.
The suspect's ran out of luck when he attempted to flee after spotting workers from the Commission and drove to a voting location that was different from his polling place.
Dr. Tyokyaa was asked about his role at the center but was unable to articulate it, which led to his arrest. A search of his car turned up cash in various denominations.
He was let go after making a statement to the Commission.
A man was also detained by the EFCC for allegedly buying votes at the Gidan Zakka polling place in the Goron Dutse neighborhood of Kano Municipal Local Government, Kano State.
While two people, Stanley Nsemo and Eno Amponsah, were detained in Calabar, Cross River State, with the sum of $450 (Four Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) and N156,800 on suspicion of alleged votes buying, a party agent allegedly buying votes through bank transfers was also detained in Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory. An earlier sting operation in the Badarwa neighborhood of Kaduna, Kaduna State, resulted in the discovery of a woman carrying 18 voter cards.
The woman, Maryam Mamman Alhaji, who is a supporter of one of the major political parties, and she also had a 17-page list of registered voters in Badarwa/Malali Wards 01 and 08, Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State, with their names, bank information, and phone numbers. After undercover agents pretended to have voter cards and be desperate to sell them, they were able to capture her.
She is currently being questioned by EFCC agents from the Kaduna Zonal Command in an effort to identify other members of her syndicate who, according to her, are also obtaining voter registration cards and paying fees via PoS or direct bank transfers.