Ogun police arrest 30 for electoral violence, vote buying

No fewer than 30 persons have been arrested by the police for allegedly engaging in electoral violence and vote buying during the Saturday’s governorship election in Ogun State.

The Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday during a visit to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Mba said the suspects were arrested in different parts of the state for unlawful possession of firearms and vote buying among other offences.

He said the police also recovered 12 firearms, including an English made Beretta pistol, 25 live cartridges and eight expended cartridges.

The police boss added that 235 credit cards and customised ATM cards were also recovered from the suspects engaging in vote buying.

Mba said: “A total of 30 persons were arrested. They were arrested for various offences, ranging from unlawful possession of weapons to disorderly behaviour around polling units, conducts likely to cause breach of peace and also for offences relating to insertion of undue influence and attempt to indulge in vote buying.

“We also recovered a total of 12 firearms of different makes and shapes, most of them are locally fabricated shotguns. We also recovered one Beretta pistol, an English pistol. We recovered a total of 25 live cartridges and eight expended cartridges.”

While saying investigations are ongoing, the CP assured that the suspects would be handed over to INEC for proper prosecution after conclusion of investigation to determine their level of complicity and culpability.