Nigeria EFCC Reportedly Intercepts N32.4 Million That Was Intended to Be Used for Vote-Buying in Lagos
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) conducted a massive operation to deter vote trading and other financial malfeasance ahead of tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections. The operation may have begun paying dividends with the interception in Lagos of the sum of N32, 400,000 (Thirty-two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira), which is allegedly suspected to have been used for vote buying in Lagos. These elections are scheduled to take place on Saturday. The Commission’s operatives from the Lagos Zonal Command were responsible for the retrieval of the item.
The suspect who was involved in the incident has been brought into custody and will be questioned further.
The Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has urged all personnel of the Commission deployed for election monitoring duties to demonstrate courage and not give room for shady individuals to undermine the integrity of the elections by receiving financial inducement. Bawa made this request in a statement that was distributed to all personnel.
Currently, tactical teams comprised of operatives are operating on the ground in each of the states of the federation as well as the FCT. It has already been brought to the attention of the public through various social media platforms that the Commission has established telephone hotlines through which members of the public can communicate with agents of the Commission to share information regarding unethical practises in the financial sector. The EFCC’s various social media sites have information about the number in question.
By using the EFCC’s financial crimes reporting app, Eagle Eye, which can be downloaded from the Google Play store or the Apple store, members of the general public are encouraged to report anybody who are attempting to purchase or sell votes in the upcoming election. People can also contact the Commission by sending an email to info@efcc.gov.ng or by using the Commission’s social media handle, which is @officialefcc.
