The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, November 11, arrested 14 suspected vote buyers in Otueke, Adawari playgrounds during the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State.
According to the EFCC, some were also apprehended at various polling units in Imo and Kogi States.
The Commission disclosed this in a post shared on its Facebook page on the same Saturday.
It read, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 14 (Fourteen) suspected vote buyers in Otueke, 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 N9,310,00 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.
“Two vehicles were intercepted from the suspects.”
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
Also in Bayelsa State, INEC announced that one of its Supervisory Presiding Officers, SPO, who was abducted at the Amassoma jetty in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, hours to the governorship election, has been released.
The SPO assigned to the registration area- 06, Ossioma in the Sagbama Local Government Area was abducted while waiting to board a boat.
In a statement signed by the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC office, Bayelsa State, Wilfred Ifogah, it said the freed victim was doing fine.
