The Ogun State Police Command has arrested two individuals identified as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, among others, with a large sum of money suspected to be intended for vote-buying in Iperu Remo during the Federal Constituency by-election held on Saturday.
The suspects, Toryem Joe-Stans and Mandara Aminat, were apprehended alongside their driver in a Mitsubishi Spacewagon with registration number LAGOS AKD 887 HT at about 12:45 am.
According to the police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, a patrol team attached to Iperu Remo Division intercepted the vehicle.
She said, “A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of cash sum of two million five hundred thousand naira (N2,500,000) from Mr. Joe-Stans Toryem. During interrogation, he confessed that the money was collected at Kehoy Hotel, Iperu, Ogun State, from a man he referred to as ‘Political Solution’, acting on the directive of his supervisor.”
DAILY POST reports that a video showing the arrest of the two INEC staff, a top politician in Ogun State, and three others with large amounts of money suspected to be for vote-buying in the ongoing Remo Federal Constituency bye-election circulated in the early hours of Saturday.
A voice in the background of the video explained that the INEC official claimed to have been contacted by his constituency supervisor to meet a particular politician at the hotel.
However, the politician in the video immediately distanced himself, saying, “I don’t know anything about this money you’re talking about and I am still waiting for you (the police) to tell me why I am here.”
Odutola stated that the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered that the suspects be transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, for immediate and discreet investigation.
She assured members of the public that monitoring of the election is ongoing and that the command will keep the public informed of the outcome of the investigation.
Money recovered from suspected vote buyer in the tune of N25.9m for Kaduna bye-election on August 16, 2025
In a related news,security operatives in Kaduna arrested a suspected vote buyer in possession of N25,963,000.
This arrest occurred barely hours before the conduct of Saturday’s bye-elections in parts of the state.
The suspect, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was apprehended around 3:30 a.m. by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the Department of State Services at a popular hotel along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis.
According to the Kaduna State Police Command, preliminary investigations revealed that the huge cash was intended to induce voters and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
Police spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest, noting that the suspect had already confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.
He quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, as saying, “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 further warned that the command would not spare anyone caught engaging in vote buying, thuggery, violence, or any illegal act aimed at subverting the polls.
Meanwhile, the Command issued a warning to political actors and their supporters to refrain from acts of violence or disruptions during the elections.
It disclosed that credible intelligence indicated plans by some politicians to instigate unrest.
In response, security agencies have deployed personnel to polling units, collation centres, and other strategic flashpoints across the state.
“The Command will deal decisively with troublemakers. Anyone, no matter how highly placed, who engages in violence, intimidation, vote buying, or thuggery will be arrested and prosecuted,” the police said 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 duty peacefully.
