EFCC Nabs 20 Over Vote Buying in FCT Council Polls
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 20 suspects over alleged electoral fraud during the just-concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, intensifying efforts to clamp down on vote trading and related offences.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency disclosed that the suspects were apprehended on Saturday, February 21, 2026, across various parts of the FCT for offences ranging from vote buying and vote selling to obstruction of electoral officers.
According to the EFCC, a total sum of N17,218,700 was recovered from the suspects during the operations. Notably, one of the suspects was arrested with N13,500,000 found inside a vehicle parked beside a polling unit in Kwali Area Council, raising serious concerns about the scale of inducement allegedly deployed to influence voters.
A breakdown of the arrests shows that two suspects were apprehended in Abaji, nine in Gwagwalada, four in Kuje, and another four in Kwali, underscoring what observers describe as a widespread pattern of electoral malpractice across multiple council areas.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that financial inducement of voters and interference with electoral officials constitute grave offences under the law.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations,” the statement said.
The arrests come amid heightened scrutiny of local government elections and growing calls from civil society groups for stricter enforcement against vote buying, which continues to undermine democratic credibility at the grassroots level.
MO MEDIA reports that the EFCC’s latest action signals a zero-tolerance stance against electoral corruption, as authorities move to deter perpetrators ahead of future polls.
