EFCC reacts after alledged vote buyers attacked its operatives in Kaduna

Key highlights

• EFCC operatives were attacked while trying to arrest alleged vote buyers in Kaduna State.
• The suspect in question was seen in an amateur video inducing eligible voters by using his phone to transfer money into their accounts as they cast their votes.
• The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, commended the operatives for exercising great restraint under extreme provocation and appealed to the public to desist from attacking officers of the Commission.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said some of its operatives on election monitoring duty in Kaduna State were attacked while trying to arrest alleged vote buyers.

In a statement issued on Saturday and seen by Nairametrics, the commission noted that the operatives came under attack at School Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna.

Senator Shehu Sani had also raised alarm on his Twitter handle, yesterday, on cases of vote buying going on in his polling unit.

EFCC’s Statement: The antigraft agency said It took great restraints for the operatives to ignore the unprovoked attack but insisted on arresting the suspect. The statement said:

• “The team, working on intelligence on the alleged activities of one Kabiru Musa who was seen in an amateur video allegedly inducing eligible voters by using his phone to transfer money into their accounts as they cast their votes, had mobilized to the scene to arrest the suspect.
• “However, immediately he was accosted by the operatives, Musa became unruly and screamed to attract the attention of his syndicate members, who descended on the operatives, using all manner of weapons that left some of them injured.
• “It took great restraints for the operatives to ignore the unprovoked attack but insisted on arresting the suspect.
• “As the team drove away with the suspect, their vehicle was pelted with stones and other dangerous objects that damaged the windshield and three operatives suffered varying degrees of injuries in the process.
• “The injured operatives are currently receiving medical attention at the Medical Centre of the Kaduna Zonal Command, while the suspect is in custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”

Bawa’s reaction: The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, in his reactions commended the operatives for exercising great restraint under extreme provocation.

Bawa appealed to the public to desist from attacking officers of the Commission as such action would no longer be tolerated.

What you should know: On October 5, 2022, The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released a list of 17 candidates vying for the governorship seat in Kaduna State

With about 4.3 million registered voters according to INEC, the state has 23 Local governments with four major contenders among the 17 candidates.

They include Senator Uba Sani of APC who is the incumbent governor’s anointed candidate, Isah Ashiru, the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jonathan Asake of the Labour Party (LP) and Suleiman Hunkuyi of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).