Barely hours before the conduct of Saturday’s bye-elections in parts of Kaduna State, security operatives have reportedly arrested a suspected vote buyer in possession of N25,963,000.
Saturday Telegraph gathered that the suspect, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was apprehended around 3:30 a.m. by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) at a popular hotel along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis.
The state Command spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest of Patangi.
According to the statement made available to newsmen, the suspect had already confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the huge cash was intended to induce voters and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
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He quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, as saying, “The suspect was arrested with the said amount, believed to have been earmarked for bribing voters.
“He confessed to the crime and begged for mercy. We wish to reiterate that anyone found attempting to undermine the electoral process will face the full wrath of the law.”
The Commissioner further warned that the command would not spare anyone caught engaging in vote buying, thuggery, violence, or any illegal act aimed at subverting the polls.
