By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigeria Police have confirmed the arrest of thugs, politicians and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in different locations of the country during the ongoing by elections in 12 states across the country. The locations are in Ogun, Kaduna and Kano states.
In Ogun State, the Police Command said it arrested two individuals identified to be officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for alleged electoral offences in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, during the Federal Constituency bye-election held on August 16, 2025.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta on Saturday.
Odutola said that the two INEC officials are Toryem Joe-Stans and Ms. Mandara Aminat, and another, who is their driver.
She said, “At about 0045hrs, a police patrol team attached to Iperu Remo Division intercepted a Mitsubishi Spacewagon with registration number LAGOS AKD 887 HT with three occupants, Mr Toryem Joe-Stans and Ms Mandara Aminat, both officials of INEC, alongside their driver.
“A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of cash sum of two million five hundred thousand naira (N2,500,000.00) 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.”
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, Ph.D., has, however, ordered that the suspects be transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, for immediate discreet investigation.
He further assured members of the public that monitoring of the election is ongoing and that the Command will keep the public abreast of the outcome of the investigation.
In her reaction, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun, Saseyi Feyijimi, said, “INEC is sure that the security agencies will do the needful; as soon as I lay my hands on the official report, I will also inform the National Headquarters.” She gave theassurance that INEC remains impartial and transparent.
Security operatives in Kaduna arrested an alleged vote buyer in possession of N25,963,000.
The suspect, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was caught in the act around 3:30 a.m. by a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services , DSS, at a popular hotel along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis.
Police spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, who confirmed the arrest said the suspect confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.
“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,” DSP Hassan said.
In Kano, the Police Command confirmed the arrest of 288 suspected thugs during the ongoing by-election in the Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa constituencies. The election was to produce a replacement for Halilu Kundila, a member of the Kano State House of Assembly, who died during a brief illness.
According the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Bakori, speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the election was marred by violence, with thugs allegedly hired to disrupt proceedings.
He said that eligible residents were afraid to come out and exercise their civil rights due to the presence of thugs wielding dangerous weapons, who were seen intimidating voters. He also said the thugs’ actions therefore made it difficult for many eligible voters to participate in the electoral process.
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