The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested some staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Zamfara State in connection with diversion of funds budgeted for the payment of ad hoc staff in the 2019 general elections. Administrative Secretary of INEC Zamfara, Hassan Sidi Aliyu; Head of Operations, Hussain Jafar; Accountant, Abdullahi Yusuf Abubakar and another official of the electoral body in Zamfara State, Abdulmumin Usman, were arrested for alleged conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal diversion of ad hoc staff allowance to the tune of N84,696,000. The petitioner, Abdullahi Nasiru, who wrote on behalf of all Presiding Officers that worked for INEC during the 2019 presidential and gubernatorial elections in Zamfara State, alleged that ad hoc staff were denied part payment of the total sum of N12,000 movement allowance for the two elections. The Commission allegedly paid its staff the sum of N9,000 in Zamfara State, while in other States like Sokoto State, ad hoc staff received the sum of N12,000.
Investigations by the EFCC revealed that none of the 10,500 Presiding Officers who participated in the elections in the State were paid their full entitlements. The shortfall amounted to N84,696,000. According to EFCC, efforts are being made to recover the money allegedly diverted by the three Heads of department and Electoral Officers of the 14 Local Government Areas in Zamfara State and the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.