ICPC has arrested a man in possession of the sum of N2million suspected to belong for a politician with purpose of vote buying.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Bauchi State office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arrested a man in possession of the sum of N2million suspected to belong for a politician with purpose of vote buying.
The suspect, Hassan Ahmad had the intercepted cash in both old and new currencies amidst the cash crunch being witnessed in the country.
Ahmad was arrested on Friday by the troops of 33 Artillery Brigade on ‘Operation Safe Conduct’ deployed to Alkaleri in Bauchi State, and handed over to the Bauchi State office of the anti-graft agency.
The feat was disclosed by the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, in a statement on Friday night.
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EFCC intercepts N32.4m for vote buying in Lagos
Ogugua said, “Ahmad was in possession of N900,000 cash in new naira notes and N1.1million in old naira notes and the funds were being conveyed in a tinted black Hilux vehicle with registration number JMA 85 AZ.
“The funds, which were packed in a ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag, comprise six bundles of N1,000 new notes of N600,000, six bundles of N500 new notes of N300,000, and old two hundred naira notes of N1.1 million.”
Ogugua further noted that further investigation by the commission is ongoing, as the suspect had confessed that the funds were being moved to Gombe State for a politician.
Earlier in the day, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it intercepted N32. 4 million meant for vote buying in Lagos State.
The anti-graft agency while refusing to name the suspect and location where the crime was busted, however, said the suspect was already undergoing interrogation.
It urged all staff deployed for election monitoring duties to show courage and not bow to unscrupulous elements.
EFCC, which made the disclosure in a statement on its verified twitter handle, @officialEFCC, said the Commission’s tactical teams have been sent to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The statement titled, “EFCC intercepts n32.4m allegedly meant for vote-buying in Lagos,” read in parts:
“The massive operation by the EFCC to deter vote trading and other financial malfeasance ahead of tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections may have begun paying dividends with the interception in Lagos of the sum of N32,400,000 (Thirty-two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) allegedly suspected to be used for vote buying in Lagos. The recovery was made by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Commission.
“The suspect involved has been taken into custody for further questioning”.