The Independent National Electoral Commission intends to prosecute more than 200 individuals arrested for various electoral violations during the recently concluded general elections.
Already, the Nigeria Police Force has transferred over fifty electoral offence case files to the electoral official.
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In an interview with newsmen on Friday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, gave an update on the number of case files INEC offices across the country had received from the police and how many electoral offenders had been handed over to it. He stated, “The commission has received over 50 case files from the police authorities. There are over 200 defendants scheduled for prosecution.
“The commission has instructed its Litigation and Prosecution Department to review the case files and provide counsel regarding the prosecution.” Since then, the department has begun taking action, and as soon as it concludes, it will inform the commission accordingly.”
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Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, issued a directive on March 13, 2023 to all state commissioners of police to investigate all violations of the Electoral Act during the presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25, 2023.
The IG instructed them to conclude the investigation expeditiously and forward the case files to INEC for prosecution.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, announced on March 14 that the commission was assembling a legal team to handle cases of electoral offenders during the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25.
Baba ordered on March 28 that all electoral offences case files be submitted to the police commissioner in charge of the legal unit.
According to him, this is to allow for central collation and coordinated processing by the legal unit of INEC prior to the initiation of the prosecution process.
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He assured that the NPF would collaborate with the INEC leadership to ensure that all electoral offenders were prosecuted expeditiously and transparently, not only in the interest of criminal justice, but also to further the police’s vision of sanitising Nigeria’s electoral space.
Baba spoke during a meeting in Abuja with strategic police managers of the Nigerian Police Force, including deputy inspectors-general of police and members of the force management team, assistant inspectors-general of police, commissioners of police, and other tactical commanders.
ICPC, EFCC investigate 78
In a related development, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission disclosed that it continues to investigate 13 suspects arrested for alleged voter inducement during the presidential, National Assembly, and governorship and State Assembly elections.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission disclosed in March that it was investigating 65 suspects arrested during the polls, but has not yet provided specifics regarding arrests made during the presidential election.
In an interview with one of our reporters on Friday, Azuka Ogugua, a spokesperson for the ICPC, revealed that the commission was still investigating the suspects.
She noted that nine of the thirteen suspects were apprehended during the presidential and National Assembly elections, whereas four were apprehended during the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections nationwide.
Ogugua stated, “Investigations concerning the arrested suspects are ongoing.” During the presidential elections, four vote-buyers were apprehended in Osun State with a list of names, phone numbers, and account information of individuals suspected of being voters. One voter was apprehended in Ondo State with recharge cards worth N500 each, and another was apprehended in Borno State with four PVCs, N49,000, and 20 wrappers.
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