Operatives of Nigeria’s Anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the early hours of today, February 25, 2023 intercepted a woman with 18 voter cards in a sting operation at Badarwa area of Kaduna, Kaduna State.

The woman, one Maryam Mamman Alhaji, who is a member of the support group of one of the leading political parties, also had in her possession, a 17-page list containing names of eligible voters, their bank details and phone numbers as accredited under Badarwa/Malali Ward 01 and 08, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

She was nabbed after undercover operatives pretended they had voter cards and were desperate to sell them.

She is currently being grilled by operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC, with a view to unravelling other members of her syndicate whom she claimed are also collecting voters’ cards and paying monies through PoS or direct bank transfers.

The EFCC also arrested a man for alleged vote buying with N194,000 at Gidan Zakka polling unit, Goron Dutse area of Kano Municipal Local Government.

A party agents buying votes through bank transfers to voters was also arrested in Abaji area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

EFCC in Last Minute Enlightenment Campaign

Few hours to the commencement of the 2023 general elections, officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on February 24, intensified last minute vigorous enlightenment and sensitization campaigns against vote buying and all forms of electoral fraud.

The officers, part of the teams deployed to the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, took their campaign to media houses, Bureau De Change operators and INEC officials, on the need for collaboration to forestall electoral malpractices with a view to delivering a transparent, credible, and peaceful elections.

Commander of the EFCC, Osita Nwajah who is anchoring the Commission’s election monitoring activities in Abia state, took a detour to Akwa Ibom state on Thursday 23rd February, 2023, where he held live interviews to sensitize the people of Akwa Ibom on what constitutes electoral malpractice at Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo.

He also visited XL 106.9 FM Uyo, ABN Television, Uyo, and Passion 94.1 FM Uyo. He educated the public on vote buying/selling, voters’ inducement and how to report the same before and during the elections.

Nwajah who was equally at the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Abia State, gave out channels through which the public can immediately report any observed infraction to the Commission
On his part, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Aliyu Naibi, led operatives of Port Harcourt Command to sensitize Bureau de Change operators in Bayelsa State and warned them to avoid being used by politicians for vote buying.

Similarly, the team led by Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Eze Johnson visited BDCs in Ibusa, Delta State, and sensitized them on the ills of vote buying and the need to discourage members from being used by politicians. Chairman of BDC in the state, Alhaji Adamu Musa commended the team for the exercise.

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