The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission on Saturday arrested nine persons for vote buying during the presidential and National Assembly elections in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom, and Sokoto states.
It said four suspects were arrested in Osun, two in Sokoto, and one each in Ondo, Akwa Ibom, and Borno states.
It said the four suspects in the custody of the Osun State office of the ICPC, were found with documents containing lists of names, phone numbers, and account details of voters during the elections in the state.
“The four vote buyers arrested in Osun State are Adewale Teslim, 32 years; Yemi Adebiyi, 42 years; Shake Idris, 36 years, and Emiola Joseph Oluwole, 69 years.
“Operatives of the commission retrieved a list of names and phone numbers of voters from Adewale Teslim at Polling Unit 07, Ward 07, Ile Aganna in the Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State.
The officers also recovered a list of people who had voted with their phone numbers and account details from Yemi Adebiyi at Polling Unit 06, Ward 04 at Ikirun junction, Ikirun, while Shake Idris was arrested at Polling Unit 6, Ward 10, Ofatedo area of Osun State with a notebook containing over 100 names and account numbers,” the agency said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, on Saturday.
According to the statement, the Ondo State office of the ICPC arrested one Mrs Idowu-Yemi Omolere at Polling Unit 12, Ward 12 behind Dada Estate Police Station in connection with the distribution of recharge cards to voters and recovered 24 pieces of N500 recharge cards, a list of voters, their phone numbers and a mobile phone.
It said its Borno office arrested one Garba Bahausa at the Bulunkutu Ward in possession of four PVCs and the sum of N49,000.
The statement added, “The Akwa Ibom State office of the ICPC arrested a woman, Mrs Idara Umoren, for collating the names and account details of voters suspected to have voted for her preferred candidate.
Umoren was arrested at the Signature Hotel Polling Unit on Plot 48G Line, Ewet Housing Estate, Akwa Ibom.
“In Sokoto State, ICPC operatives arrested two persons – Hassan Muhammad and Nafisa Sani – for vote buying at the Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto.”
