Police, DSS Arrest Vote Buyer, Recover ₦25.96 Million

IN a sustained and collaborative effort to ensure that the forthcoming bye-elections in Kaduna State are conducted peacefully and without interference from criminal elements, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, in conjunction with the Department of State Services (DSS), have successfully apprehended a suspected vote buyer in Kaduna.

In a statement issued on Saturday, DSP Mansir Hassan stated that at approximately 03:30hrs, officers arrested one Shehu Aliyu Patangi at a popular hotel located along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis. A total sum of ₦25,963,000 (Twenty-Five Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Three Thousand Naira) was recovered from the suspect. The money is believed to have been earmarked for the purpose of inducing voters and compromising the electoral process.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had planned to use the said amount to bribe eligible voters. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, expressed appreciation to other sister security agencies for their synergy and swift collaborative action. He issued a stern warning that anyone, regardless of status, found attempting to undermine the electoral process will face the full force of the law.

The Kaduna State Police Command reassures residents of its commitment to providing maximum security before, during, and after the elections. It calls on the good people of Kaduna State to exercise their franchise peacefully and lawfully, without fear or intimidation.