The suspect, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was caught around 3:30 a.m. in an hotel along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis. He was apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the Department of State Services, DSS.

According to the Kaduna State Police Command, preliminary investigations revealed that the ₦25,963,000 recovered from the suspect was meant to induce voters and compromise the electoral process.

Police spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspect had confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.

According to the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, Hassan stated, “The suspect was arrested with the said amount, believed to have been earmarked for bribing voters. He confessed to the crime and begged for mercy. We wish to reiterate that anyone found attempting to undermine the electoral process will face the full wrath of the law.”

The Commissioner also issued a stern warning that the command would not spare anyone involved in vote buying, thuggery, violence, or any illegal activity aimed at disrupting the polls.

The Police Command disclosed that it had received credible intelligence about plans by some politicians to instigate unrest. Security agencies have therefore deployed personnel to polling units, collation centres, and other flashpoints across the state.

In a statement, the police also assured residents of adequate security before, during, and after the elections, urging citizens to come out and exercise their civic rights peacefully.

Source: Punch