As the Edo State governorship election gets underway, some suspected vote buyers have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The suspects were arrested in the Egor Local Government Area of the state around 10:00 am.
EFCC officials left the location with three suspects – two males and a female.
Residents however countered the EFCC that these persons were vote buyers, alleging that they were being victimised.
In a related development, SaharaReporters reported that thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were arrested by the Nigerian police.
The Force said the suspects were apprehended during an overnight raid at multiple locations, as part of efforts to curb election-related violence.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the arrests.
“Our officers recovered three cut-to-size locally fabricated pistols and one locally made gun from the suspects,” Adejobi said.
The statement read, “The Nigeria Police Force has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to curb electoral violence in Edo State with the arrest of two political thugs, namely: Edwin Obanor, 43-year-old and Audu Tajudeen, a 41-year-old Peoples Democratic Party member from Ugbogbo quarters, Igara Akoko, Edo.
“Acting on a tip-off that some individuals had been armed to cause mayhem and instability during the election on Saturday, the police operatives swooped into action and apprehended Obanor, a leader of an armed group, at Oredo Ward 4 at about 9pm and Audu Tajudeen at Igara Akoko, Edo, on the eve of the election.
“Upon searching the bags in their possession, three cut-to-size locally fabricated pistols were discovered on Obanor while one locally made gun was recovered from Tajudeen.”