Crime & Court
Guber Polls: ‘Over 65 persons’ arrested for alleged voter inducement
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says no fewer than 65 persons have been arrested for alleged voter inducement during the governorship and state house of assembly elections held on Saturday.
According to the commission, the suspects were nabbed across the 28 states where governorship elections were held.
In a statement on Saturday, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said 20 of the suspects were arrested by its operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command, while 13 were nabbed at the Kaduna Zonal Command.
“The teams monitoring the polls in the Port Harcourt Zone arrested a total of 12 people for various offences bordering on inducing voters with money to vote their preferred candidates, while the Uyo Zonal Command made four arrests in Calabar,” the statement read.
“The remaining suspects were arrested in Gombe, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger states. Those arrested in Kaduna consist of 10 males and three females. They were apprehended by operatives working on intelligence or chanced upon them during the monitoring exercise.”
See the full statement below:
Guber Polls: EFCC Arrests Over 65 Persons for Alleged Voter Inducement
No fewer than 65 persons were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Saturday, March 18, 2023, across the 28 states where Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were conducted, for alleged voter inducement.
Twenty of the suspects were arrested by operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command while 13 suspects were nabbed by operatives on election monitoring duty at the Kaduna Zonal Command. The teams monitoring the polls in the Port Harcourt Zone arrested a total of 12 people for various offences bordering on inducing voters with money to vote for their preferred candidates, while the Uyo Zonal Command made 4 arrests in Calabar. The remaining suspects were arrested in Gombe, Sokoto, kebbi and Niger states.
Those arrested in Kaduna consist of 10 males and 3 females. They were apprehended by operatives working on intelligence or chanced upon them during the monitoring exercise.
A suspect allegedly involved in vote buying was nabbed at School Road, Unguwan Rimi Kaduna. The suspect who initially resisted arrest, is however in custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Also in Kaduna, the Tẹam led by ACE II Esmond Garba arrested one Buhari Muhammed in PU 002 Dogara Yaro Dagari area. He was arrested with Voter Coupons, which he confessed would be used to trace and pay those who voted for his party.
Furthermore, the team monitoring the voting exercise around LEA Kabala Doki, Kaduna led by CSE Wakilu Omokide also arrested two individuals suspected of vote buying. Upon their arrest, a total sum of N67,500, a list containing names of voters with their PVC numbers and their bank account details amongst others, were recovered from them.
Investigation so far revealed that the major modus operandi of the suspects is to give cash, transfer money, coupons and send recharge cards to eligible voters to induce them to vote for their candidates. A search of their persons and phones revealed that most of them had transferred money into the accounts of some voters on the lists recovered from them.
Some of the items recovered from the suspects include voter cards, monies, and a list containing names and account details of voters. Others are recharge cards.
Officers of the Kaduna Command also arrested two persons in Niger State for alleged vote buying. The first suspect, Umar.B. Ibrahim was arrested at the Peter Sarki Road polling unit based on intelligence. Upon searching his vehicle, an INEC ID tag (domestic election observer) bearing his name and photograph and also a letter of appointment from BOS ( Bago Support Organisation) as Director Liaison, were uncovered. On further enquiry, he disclosed that a certain Mr Usman Mohammed, who belongs to his political party gave him the INEC ID tag.
The second suspect, Isa Salihu Bababida, was arrested at Unguwar Nassarawa with several lists of names, account numbers and BVN.
In Port Harcourt, the election monitoring teams arrested 10 suspects in Port Harcourt alleged to be involved in voter inducement at Moscow Road, Elekahia, Township, Mile 2, Ward 2 polling Unit 2 and 30, Ogbum, Phalga, Port Harcourt. The suspects were arrested with A4 papers that had the names, telephone and account numbers of persons suspected to be voters. Also, two youths who were alleged to be involved in voter inducement were arrested at Ward 2 Polling Unit 2 and 30, Ogbum, PHALGA, Port Harcourt City.
The four persons arrested at different locations in Calabar by the team from Uyo Zonal Command, led by CE Binta A. Rano, are currently volunteering their statements at the Criminal Investigation Department, Cross River State Police Command.
the team arrested one Esther Asuquo Edem, the Woman Leader of one of the political parties for Ward 11, Calabar South, Cross River State and two others, Edet Okon Etim and Asanwana Peter Eyo, for alleged vote buying in Calabar.
The Woman Leader, who had a list of suspected voters, their account numbers and Thousands of Naira in cash was apprehended inside an uncompleted building, beside her Ward in Calabar South, while Etim and Eyo were arrested at Ward 12, Unit 11, at Kings Memorial School by Inyang Street, Abasi Obori, Calabar South.
The duo of Etim and Eyo had with them their lists and money they allegedly used in buying votes.
The 20 suspects arrested by the Ilorin Zonal Command are Adekunle Ademola, Wasiu Raimi, Laaro Rasheed, Alagbe Taiwo, Boniface Victory, Kayode Toba, Adeoye Adetunji, Lawal Favour, Abidoye Victoria Moradeyo, Magaji Iliasu, Abdulkadir Abdulmumini and Musa Lateef Olasunkanmi.
Others are Marudeen Sadiq, Abogunrin Jimoh Oluwasesan, Funmilayo Lawal, Olawuyi Bolarin, Garuba Ismail, Abiola Abogunrin, Amidu Tiamiyu and Usman Abdulazeez.
The suspects, who were arrested at different polling units across the State, were caught with incriminating items including cash of various sums, a notebook containing a list of voters’ names, a POS machine, mobile phones and voter cards, among others.
Upon interrogation, some of the suspects identified themselves as party agents while some admitted to distributing money to induce voters.
In Gombe, the Gombe Zonal Command led by ACE Faruk M. Dogondaji made 10 arrests for alleged voter inducement, and recovered, 43 pieces of wrappers and N 1, 923,900 cash.
Investigations are still ongoing to determine the culpability of each suspect.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
18/03/2023
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
Crime & Court
Nigerian Man Wanted for Child’s Murder Added to U.S. Marshals’ “15 Most Wanted” List, $25,000 Reward Offered
A Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, is now among the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted” list.
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that results in his arrest.
He is sought on charges including first-degree murder, causing serious bodily harm to a child, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to a report on the U.S. Marshals Service’s website.
Olawusi was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of causing serious bodily harm to a child after emergency personnel in Providence, Rhode Island, found his 3-month-old son with severe injuries on April 3, 2017.
The infant was in cardiac arrest and needed resuscitation to restore a pulse. A medical examination later revealed the child had 18 injuries in various stages of healing, consistent with prolonged abuse.
These injuries included a skull fracture, severe brain injury, and fractures to the ribs, clavicle, and limbs. Tragically, the child died six months later, despite life support efforts.
Providence Police initially arrested Olawusi on April 20, 2017, on charges of first-degree child abuse. He was released the same day but fled after the child’s death on October 31, 2017, at which point the charge was upgraded to murder.
In June 2017, Olawusi reportedly left the United States from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, traveling to Nigeria on his Nigerian passport. Authorities suspect he may be receiving support from relatives in Nigeria and have voiced concerns that he could pose a danger to other children.
“Mr. Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child, and has fled the country to avoid justice,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis.
“We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.”
Olawusi, also known as Olekun Olawusi, is described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App.
The “15 Most Wanted” fugitive programme, established in 1983, identifies some of the most dangerous and high-profile fugitives in the U.S. Known for their extensive criminal backgrounds, these fugitives often pose significant risks to public safety.
Since its creation, the programme has led to the capture of over 250 high-risk individuals, including murderers, sex offenders, and organized crime figures.
In collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Marshals Service plays a crucial role in fugitive investigations.
In fiscal year 2023 alone, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested over 73,000 fugitives and resolved nearly 86,000 warrants, demonstrating their commitment to public safety and justice.
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has issued a public summons for former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to appear in court to respond to a fresh 16-count indictment.
The summons requires Bello to attend court on October 24 for his arraignment, alongside co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The public summons was ordered following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In her ruling, Justice Anenih directed the EFCC to publish the summons in a widely circulated newspaper to ensure proper notification.
Also, the court instructed the EFCC to post copies of the public summons at Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous locations within the court premises.
The EFCC has reported difficulties in serving the charges, which were filed on September 24, alleging that Bello and the two co-defendants committed a criminal breach of trust involving a staggering ₦110.4 billion.
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