Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on election monitoring duty in Kaduna state, Saturday, came under attack at School Road, Unguwan Rimi Kadun, while attempting to arrest a suspected vote buyer.
The commission’s teams were similarly attacked during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, leaving some of its vehicles badly damaged.
EFCC Head Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, who made this known in a press statement in Abuja, said: “The team, working on intelligence on the alleged activities of one Kabiru Musa who was seen in an amateur video allegedly inducing eligible voters by using his phone to transfer money into their accounts as they cast their votes, had mobilised to the scene to arrest the suspect.
“However, immediately he was accosted by the operatives, Musa became unruly and screamed to attract the attention of his syndicate members, who descended on the operatives, using all manner of weapons that left some of them injured. It took great restraints for the operatives to ignore the unprovoked attack but insisted on arresting the suspect.
“As the team drove away with the suspect, their vehicle was pelted with stones and other dangerous objects that damaged the windshield and three operatives suffered varying degrees of injuries in the process.”
The spokesperson said the operatives were currently receiving medical attention at the Medical Centre of the Kaduna Zonal Command, while the suspect as in custody, pending conclusion of the investigation.
He said while reacting to the incident, EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, commended the operatives for exercising great restraint under extreme provocation.
Bawa, however, appealed to the public to desist from attacking officers of the commission and its operatives as such action would no longer be tolerated.