ICPC operatives rescue suspected vote buyer from mob attack in Delta

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says its operatives rescued a female voter accused of vote buying from a mob attack in Delta state.

Azuka Ogugua, ICPC’s spokesperson, in a statement on Saturday evening, said officers of the commission were attacked in Sokoto with one of them sustaining a head injury while monitoring the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

TheCable reports that the commission had deployed over 400 officers to monitor vote buying across the country during the elections. 

“In its election monitoring operations across the states of the federation, officers of the anti-corruption agency encountered some vote buyers at Kauran Miyo primary school in Bodingo town of Bodinga local government area of Sokoto state,” the statement reads. 

“The Sokoto state monitoring team of the commission arrested the three male vote-buyers – Mahe Bello, Musa Adamu, and Mustapha Mohammed, all of Kauran Miyo Bodinga.

“Mahe Bello was caught in possession of a cash sum of N38,000, two PVCs, one ATM card, and an Infinix phone while Musa Adamu had CFA 228,000 in his possession which was being offered to voters. The third suspect, Mustapha Mohammed, was arrested with some PVCs in his possession.

“The ICPC monitoring team, however, came under attack while carrying out the arrest of the three vote-buyers. An officer of the Commission, Rabiu Ibrahim, suffered a head injury from being hit by stones. He has been admitted to a hospital and he is in stable condition.

“The three voters were kept in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) before being conveyed to ICPC’s detention facility in Sokoto.

“In a related development, the ICPC Katsina State Election Monitoring Team arrested one Tanimu Tabale for vote buying at the Tashar Yamma polling Unit in Zango local government area of the 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 N20,000 in different denominations attempting to buy the votes of the electorate.

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

“Nwaomose was seen parading herself 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. 

“The officers of the anti-corruption agency at polling unit 13 Ward 6 in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North local government area, Delta, prevented further attacks on the lady, who thereafter whisked her away to the state office for interrogation.

“During a search conducted on her, the sum N6,000 in 500 naira note denominations was found on her. Her statement was obtained and was granted bail.”

Last month, nine suspects were arrested for vote buying during the elections in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom, and Sokoto states.