INEC officials, politician arrested in Ogun over alleged vote-buying

Security operatives in Ogun State have arrested two persons suspected to be officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alongside a politician allegedly involved in a vote-buying scheme ahead of Saturday’s by-election in the state.

The suspects were reportedly picked up at a hotel in Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, in the early hours of the day.

Their arrest was captured in a viral video circulating on social media, where they were seen being interrogated by security personnel.

READ ALSO: DSS, Police arrest PDP agent with N25.9m cash for alleged vote-buying in Kaduna

In the footage, a male and a female believed to be INEC staff, along with some alleged political officers of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), were shown squatting as they faced questioning.

The interrogator, whose identity was not revealed, claimed that intelligence reports indicated the electoral officials had earlier received a substantial amount of money from party agents to influence the outcome of the by-election through vote-buying.

Although the exact sum of money allegedly involved has not been disclosed, security sources hinted that the suspects were part of a coordinated plan to compromise the polls.

As of press time, the Ogun State Police Command and INEC were yet to issue official statements regarding the incident.

However, the development has sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians demanding a thorough investigation and prosecution of all those involved to safeguard the credibility of the electoral process.

The by-election in Ogun is among several being conducted nationwide, with security agencies intensifying surveillance to curb electoral malpractice and ensure transparent voting.