Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested 14 people for alleged vote buying during the governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states on Saturday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the commission disclosed this in a statement posted on X.
The statement noted that the suspects were arrested during operations across voting centres in the three states.
The EFCC nabbed the suspects based on intelligence gathered before the polls and a total of N11.04 million cash was recovered from the apprehended vote buyers and sellers.
N9.31 million was intercepted in Bayelsa and N1.73 million was seized in Imo.
Two vehicles were also impounded from the suspects, who were mostly arrested around polling units and playgrounds being used as vote trading centres.
The statement read, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 14 suspected vote buyers in Otuoke, Adawari playgrounds in Bayelsa State and at various polling units in Imo and Kogi States.
“They were arrested on Saturday, November 11, 2023, in intelligence-driven operations that commenced several days before the ongoing governorship elections in the three states.
“Also, a total sum of N11,040,000 comprising N9,310,000 intercepted from suspected vote buyers and sellers in Bayelsa and N1,730,000 intercepted from electoral fraud suspects across Imo State, were also recovered from them.
“Also, two vehicles were intercepted from the suspects. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”
