No fewer than nine individuals have been apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force during the ongoing Edo State governorship election, as part of efforts to maintain electoral integrity.
The arrests include eight suspects linked to alleged vote buying and one individual posing as a journalist, who falsely claimed affiliation with a prominent television station.
In a statement released on Saturday, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi detailed that two of the suspects, Emotingham Godspower and Farawei Isaac, are believed to be significant members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They are reportedly connected to two notorious figures identified only as "Atiku" and "The Boss."
Adejobi stated, “In a coordinated operation on September 20, 2024, at approximately 7:00 PM, police operatives conducted synchronized raids on known hotspots.”
This operation resulted in the arrest of Godspower (25) and Isaac (27) from Ufunama community in Ovia South West Local Government Area.
The police recovered a substantial amount of cash and various incriminating items at So Cash Guest House in Ekpoma, including a list of voters' names with corresponding monetary values, pre-filled ballot papers, and counterfeit identification cards.
Additionally, six other suspects were detained at Aibotse Secondary School near Meremu Hotel in Auchi for their involvement in vote buying. This group included Suleiman Abdurahim, Fatima Yakubu, Yusuf Aminat (52), Salihu Lukman (54), and Safianu Saratu (32), all found with sums of money and weapons. They were reportedly engaged in strategies to intimidate voters.
