Police have arrested nine individuals for vote buying during the Edo governorship election as authorities crack down on electoral misconduct.
Nine people have been taken into custody by police on suspicion of vote-buying and having pre-filled ballots during the current Edo State gubernatorial election.
Six of the suspects were arrested at Auchi’s Aibotse Secondary School, close to the Meremu Hotel, on Saturday, according to a statement released by Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi. They were all involved in vote buying. Large sums of money, firearms, and plots for voter intimidation were found by the police.
A broader criminal network was connected to two important suspects, Emotingham Godspower, 25, and Farawei Isaac, 27, both of the Ufunama village in Ovia South West LGA. When police searched the So Cash Guest House in Ekpoma, they discovered large amounts of cash and evidence that might be used against them.
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According to reports, the network consists of people going by the name “Atiku” and a mob leader going by the name “the boss.”
At the same Auchi site, further suspects for vote buying were also taken into custody: Suleiman Abdurahim, Fatima Yakubu, Yusuf Aminat, 52, Salihu Lukman, 54, and Safianu Saratu, 32.
Among those arrested was a phony journalist who was impersonating a member of a prominent television station’s staff.
Guns were seized during pre-election raids, and two suspected political thugs were taken into custody, according to earlier announcements by the police.
