Operatives of the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Saturday, arrested a top Bauchi State government official during the Dass State Assembly Bye-election for alleged vote buying.
It was learnt that the official, Abdon Gin, who is the
Special Adviser on Civil Service Affairs to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala
Mohammed, was arrested at his Social Welfare Polling Unit shortly after casting
his vote.
He was said to have cast his vote, entered his car and
started driving away when DSS and EFCC officials swoop on him and arrested him.
An eyewitness who craved anonymity told The PUNCH that the
anti-graft officials searched Gin and found some money in his car.
He said, “He drove out of the vicinity of the Polling Unit
after voting and suddenly, DSS and EFCC officials blocked his way and asked him
to stop.
“He came down and told them he was a government official but
they insisted on searching him.
“He obliged them and they searched him and found nothing on
him. And then, they searched his car and found some money.”
Our correspondent gathered that Gin was held at the Dass
Divisional Police Station after over N500,000 was found in the trunk of his
car.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Lawan Jimeta, who
spoke to journalists at the Dass Divisional Police Headquarters, confirmed the
arrest.
Legal Representative to the governor’s aide, Muktar
Abubakar, also said Gin was arrested for having money in his car on election
day.
He said, “He was arrested on a suspicion that he was having
money in his car on the day of election but there was no evidence of giving
money to anyone.”
Asked if having money on election day is a violation of the
electoral process, Abubakar said, “To us as lawyers who know the law, it is
not.”
Gin was later released on bail after he had been detained
for about five hours.
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