Maryam was allegedly caught with no fewer than 18 permanent voter cards (PVCs) in the Badarwa area of Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Former Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has alleged that a woman identified as Maryam Mamman Alhaji, who was arrested and paraded by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 25, during the presidential and National Assembly elections, has been freed without any charge brought against her.
Maryam was allegedly caught with no fewer than 18 permanent voter cards (PVCs) in the Badarwa area of Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Sani also alleged that some men who were also arrested and paraded by the EFCC on Saturday, March 18 for vote-buying in the state have been released without charge.
The former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly said on his Twitter page on Thursday, “The woman who was arrested with multiple PVCs and paraded by the EFCC during the Presidential Election. AND the Men who were arrested for vote buying and paraded by the EFCC during the Governorship election in Kaduna have all been released without charges and now at home.”
Operatives of the EFCC on the Presidential and National Assembly elections day arrested Maryam, who is said to be a member of the support group of one of the leading political parties in Kaduna State with at least 18 PVCs and a 17-page list containing the names of eligible voters, their bank details and phone numbers as accredited under Badarwa/Malali Ward 01 and 08, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state.
Also, the EFCC in a statement on Wednesday said a suspect “allegedly involved in vote buying was nabbed at School Road, Unguwan Rimi Kaduna. The suspect who initially resisted arrest, is however in custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“Also in Kaduna, the Team led by ACE II Esmond Garba arrested one Buhari Muhammed in PU 002 Dogara Yaro Dagari area. He was arrested with Voter Coupons, which he confessed would be used to trace and pay those who voted for his party.
“Furthermore, the team monitoring the voting exercise around LEA Kabala Doki, Kaduna led by CSE Wakilu Omokide also arrested two individuals suspected of vote buying. Upon their arrest, a total sum of N67,500, a list containing names of voters with their PVC numbers and their bank account details amongst others, were recovered from them.”
But Sani said all the suspects arrested for vote-buying have been released without charge without any charge filed against them.
When contacted, the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren promised to call our reporter back in 30 minutes’ time but failed to call back to confirm or debunk Sani's allegations at the time of filing this report.