ICPC agents arrest suspected vote buyers in Sokoto and Katsina
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has arrested four vote-buyers in Sokoto and Katsina states during the gubernatorial and legislative elections on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
During its election monitoring operations in the States of the Federation, agents of the anti-corruption agency met with vote buyers at Kauran Miyo Primary School in Bodingo Town, Bodinga Local Government Area , in Sokoto State.
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 #38,000,000, two PVCs, an ATM card and an Infinix phone while Musa Adamu had in his possession 228,000 CFA which were offered to voters. The third suspect, Mustapha Mohammed, was arrested with PVCs in his possession.
The ICPC monitoring team, however, came under attack when the three vote-buyers were arrested. A Commission officer, Rabiu Ibrahim, suffered a head injury after being hit by stones. He was hospitalized and his condition is stable.
The three voters were detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) before being transferred to the ICPC detention center in Sokoto.
In a related development, the ICPC Katsina State Election Monitoring Team arrested a certain Tanimu Tabale for buying votes from Tashar Yamma Voting Unit in Zango Local Government Area of State.
Tabale, a 35-year-old man, claimed he was an observer in Makama polling unit but was arrested at Tashar Yamma polling unit with the sum of twenty thousand naira (N20,000.00 ) in different denominations trying to buy votes from the electorate.
One of the ICPC’s monitoring teams in Delta State rescued a voter, Oge Nwaomose, from mob action by some party agents who accused her of vote buying.
Nwaomose was seen marching at Unit 13, Ward 6 shortly after casting her vote at Unit 8, Ward 13, Ogbu-Utu Primary School, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area , Delta State.
Anti-corruption agency officers at Polling Unit 13, Ward 6 in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, prevented further attacks on the lady, who took her then taken to the State Office for questioning.
During a search conducted on her, the sum of six thousand naira (₦6,000) in denominations of 500 naira was found on her. His statement was obtained and was released on bail.
The Commission had on February 25 arrested nine vote-buyers in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states in the presidential and National Assembly elections.
