EFCC combats electoral fraud, deploys 100 operatives for Kano, Katsina, Jigawa polls
Story from Saleh INUWA, Kano
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has deployed 100 armed operatives to combat vote buying during the supplementary elections in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states.
The Kano Zonal Commander of EFCC, Farouk Dogondaji, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Friday.
“We have deployed 20 personnel to monitor the conduct of the state Assembly elections in Kafur and Kankara in Katsina State,” he said.
He further explained that adequate personnel were also deployed to monitor the exercise in Tudun Wada/Doguwa and Takai federal constituency, as well as some state Assembly elections in Kano State. Additional personnel were also deployed for the house of Assembly elections in Katsina and Jigawa to prevent vote buying.
“We have also deployed officers to Malam Aminu Kano International airport in Kano and the metropolis to monitor the exercise. We will be visible in all the polling units in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa to carefully monitor the entire exercise during and after the elections. We will be physically present at collection centers to prevent tampering with results from the Local Government Areas to the state.
“We are carefully monitoring the entire exercise along with state security agencies, towards providing a peaceful atmosphere for eligible voters to elect their leaders,” he said.
The commander added that the deployment was part of the commission’s commitment towards ensuring credible and transparent elections in the zone.
The EFCC had also adopted measures to make it difficult for anyone to tamper with the election results.
Mr. Dogondaji urged personnel to be thorough and professional in carrying out their national assignment.
“Our presence is to add value to the electoral process by preventing vote buying and the changing of results at collation centers,” he said.
He also advised parents not to allow their children to be used as political thugs. Anyone found wanting would be arrested and prosecuted.
