EFCC arrests 20 suspects for vote buying, other electoral offences

By Victor Idajili

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Saturday, arrested 20 suspects for sundry electoral offences in during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.

The February 2026 FCT area‑council elections took place on Saturday, February 21, across all six councils (AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, and Kwali).  

 Five of the area councils have 10 wards each, while AMAC has 12.

The EFCC announced in a statement by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Sunday, thee arrest of suspects for vote buying involving over N17 million, among other electoral offences.

“The suspects were arrested across the FCT for offences ranging from vote buying and vote selling to obstruction of officers, involving the sum of N17,218,700,” the statement said.

It added that five of the suspects were arrested in Kwali, including one arrested with a sum of N13.5 million in a car parked beside a polling booth in the Kwali area council.

“Two others were arrested in Abaji, nine in Gwagwalada and four in Kuje.”

The statement did not share the names of the suspects or the political parties to which they were still affiliated.

But Mr Oyewale said the suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.