The suspect was arrested following a tip-off by concerned residents.
Police operatives attached to the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a 47-year-old man, identified as Chukwuemeka Nwaobilor, for allegedly conducting an illegal voters’ registration exercise on behalf of politicians in the state.
Nwaobilor was apprehended at a football field, also described as the Mbawsi Mini Stadium, in Mbawsi community, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, while in possession of a voters’ registration machine belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to The Nation, the INEC registration device recovered from the suspect was officially assigned for voters’ registration activities in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
Unconfirmed reports further alleged that Nwaobilor is an INEC staff member attached to Isiala Ngwa South LGA and was working in collaboration with yet-to-be-identified politicians from Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency, allegedly to manipulate the voter registration process ahead of future elections.
The suspect was arrested following a tip-off by concerned residents.
He was apprehended by police personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Isiala Ngwa North Division, working in conjunction with the Divisional Police Officer and the Mayor of Isiala Ngwa North LGA.
After his arrest, Nwaobilor was reportedly whisked away to the Abia State Police Command Headquarters in Umuahia for further interrogation and investigation.
Reacting to the development, an INEC staff member in Abia State, Mr. Victor Abraham, confirmed the arrest of the suspect but stated that the commission’s management was still meeting to verify the identity and official status of the arrested individual.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Maureen Chinaka, provided further details on the arrest, confirming that the suspect was caught while conducting unauthorized voters’ registration.
“He was caught by police officers from Isiala Ngwa Divisional Headquarters who were acting through actionable intelligence, while he was conducting unauthorized INEC voters’ registration at Mbawsi mini stadium in Isiala Ngwa North local government area of the state,” Chinaka said.
She revealed that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to being paid ₦50,000 by an individual identified simply as Damian to carry out the illegal registration exercise.
“He confessed to being paid the sum of ₦50,000 by one Damian to carry out the act. The INEC device was recovered from him and he’s currently being detained at the State Criminal Department (SCID) in Umuahia, the state capital,” the police spokesperson added.
Chinaka noted that investigations into the matter are ongoing, assuring that the police will identify all individuals involved in the alleged scheme.