EFCC arrests suspected vote-buyers at polling unit as Edo election gets underway

As voting gets underway in the Edo State governorship election, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested some persons believed to be lurking around a polling unit with the intention to buy votes.

The suspected vote-buyers were arrested in the Ego Local Government Area of the state around 10:00 am on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

EFCC officials later whisked away the three suspects – two males and a female - from the location. However, some residents protested against their arrest, insisting they were being victimised.

This led to a brief scuffle between operatives and the residents who attempted to prevent the suspect from being taken away.

Recall the anti-graft agency announced on Friday that it would deploy operatives to monitor the Edo governorship election and maintain the integrity of the exercise.

“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.

“Vote buying is a financial crime and the EFCC won’t allow it anywhere,” the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement.