During the Edo State governorship election, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) swooped in to arrest individuals suspected of attempting to buy votes at a polling unit.
The incident occurred in the Ego Local Government Area on Saturday, September 21, 2024, around 10:00 am, when EFCC officials apprehended three suspects—two males and a female—believed to be involved in the illicit activity.
The arrests sparked immediate outrage among some local residents, who claimed the suspects were being unfairly targeted.
The tension escalated into a brief scuffle as the residents tried to prevent the EFCC operatives from whisking the suspects away.
The scene underscored the high stakes and emotions surrounding the election.
This operation comes in the wake of a stern warning from the EFCC, which had announced on Friday its intention to deploy operatives across the state to ensure the election’s integrity.
“Our operatives have been deployed to monitor the conduct of the elections. We are committed to the attainment of electoral integrity by ensuring that voters cast their votes democratically without any form of financial inducement,” the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, emphasized in a statement.
He added, “Vote buying is a financial crime, and the EFCC won’t allow it anywhere.”
