News
INEC Laments Vote Trading, Says Yet To Receive Budgeted Funds For 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is yet to receive budgetary allocations for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Malam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.
Haruna spoke at a cross-sectorial interactive session organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in partnership with Legis360.
The “fireside chat”, which brought together political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), and INEC officials, focused on the just-concluded Ekiti governorship election and INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Haruna said although the commission was still awaiting the release of the funds, preparations for the conduct of successful 2027 elections were ongoing.
INEC had proposed a total budget of N873.78 billion for the 2027 general elections, with substantial allocations dedicated to election operations, technology and capital expenditure.
The national commissioner explained that the development was still within the time limit as per the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that election funds due to the commission for any general election shall be released “not later than six months before the next general election”.
He, however, said that the commission was already making arrangements for the procurement of new election materials, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other machines that were damaged, lost or unrecovered during previous elections.
“Our director of ICT just returned from China regarding procurement because not all the BVAS devices used during the last general elections were recovered. Orders need to be placed, and these things take time,” he said.
Haruna also disclosed that the commission was planning to conduct mock presidential election exercises to test-run its technology deployment.
This, according to him, is part of efforts to avoid a repeat of the technical glitches that affected the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal during the 2023 presidential election.
Responding to concerns over the high cost of conducting elections in Nigeria, Haruna advised citizens to look beyond the total figure and consider the realities of election administration, noting that the cost of elections in Nigeria remained relatively low when compared to other nations.
“This N800 billion plus sounds humongous, but when you calculate the average cost per voter, it is about six dollars, which is reasonable for a country such as Nigeria.
“People forget that virtually everything we use is imported. The BVAS devices and a lot of other election materials are imported. Exchange rate fluctuations also affect these costs,” he said.
On conflicting court judgments and orders, Haruna said that the trend remained a major challenge to the commission’s operations.
He cited how last-minute court orders, received between 24 and 48 hours before the Ekiti governorship election, disrupted administrative workflows and the production of election result sheets.
“When a court gives a last-minute injunction to include parties like the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), we are forced to reconfigure the software and update physical materials instantly.
“This leaves very little room to test the systems extensively, though we still manage to achieve substantial compliance with the rules,” Haruna said.
He, however, said that the commission was taking steps to engage relevant judicial authorities on the issue, noting that a similar approach was adopted by the immediate past leadership of the commission under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Addressing recent concerns over a viral report of a data breach, the national commissioner assured Nigerians that INEC maintains strict data protection and internal accountability protocols.
He disclosed that an electoral officer who intentionally leaked sensitive data as part of a personal vendetta against a political actor had been suspended.
According to him, the matter has been reported to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) while waiting for the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to finalise criminal investigations.
Reviewing the Ekiti governorship election, Haruna described INEC’s field logistics and technology performance as highly successful, noting that the BVAS machines performed optimally with a 98 per cent successful accreditation rate.
He said while there were minor technical hitches, particularly with the biometric capture of elderly voters due to ageing physical features, INEC’s technical support teams resolved them promptly.
He, however, lamented that vote buying remained a worrisome trend, noting that voters were observed openly waiting in lines for financial inducements from politicians before casting their ballots.
News
Fake Fertility Doctor Nabbed In Ibadan After 7 Years Of Practice
Police operatives have arrested a 45-year-old man, identified as Adeniyi Benjamin, for allegedly operating an unlicensed medical facility and administering treatments for about seven years without any medical qualification or licence.
The spokesperson for Oyo Police Command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, in a statement on Wednesday said Benjamin was arrested on 2 October 2026 at about 3:00 p.m. by operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit at his clinic, ‘Life Is Good Hospital’ in the Olodo area of Ibadan.
Ayanlade said the arrest followed credible intelligence about his activities at the facility.
“The suspect was found attending to patients and administering treatments, particularly fertility-related treatments, despite not being a certified medical doctor,” the statement said.
The Police spokesperson listed items recovered from the premises of the suspect’s facility to include two weighing scales, four Quantum Magnetic Resonance Body Analysers, one stethoscope, a large carton of assorted medicines, and specimen bottles.
The Oyo police spokesperson added that during preliminary investigation, Benjamin confessed that he had been operating as a quack practitioner for about seven years without any licence to practise medicine.
He further stated that he specialized in fertility-related treatment, which he administered to patients at the facility.
DSP Olayinka said the confession raised concerns about potential risks to members of the public who may unknowingly seek treatment from unqualified persons, especially in sensitive areas such as fertility care.
Investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspect’s activities and determine whether other persons were connected to the operation of the facility. Appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the law, the police said.
The command advised residents to verify the professional credentials and registration status of anyone offering medical services before entrusting their health or that of their loved ones to them.
Oyo Police Command also appealed to residents to promptly report suspicious medical facilities or persons presenting themselves as medical practitioners without verifiable credentials to the police or relevant regulatory authorities.
The Command also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and said it would continue to collaborate with relevant regulatory agencies and members of the public to address activities that endanger residents’ health and safety.
News
Police Arraign 5 Over Attack On Officers In Ogun
Ogun State Police Command has arraigned five suspects before the Ota Magistrate Court over their alleged involvement in the assault and obstruction of police officers carrying out their lawful duties in Ota.
The suspects were brought before the court following an incident around The Bells area of Iyana-Iyesi, Ota, on October 2, 2026, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi B. Babasiyi.
The police said the incident occurred after a patrol team intercepted and arrested a suspect allegedly found with a large quantity of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
According to the command, the officers were taking the handcuffed suspect to the station when they were allegedly ambushed by a group of people armed with cutlasses, stones and bottles.
The attack reportedly resulted in injuries to some of the officers, damage to the police operational vehicle and the escape of the suspect in custody.
Following the incident, the command said an intelligence-led operation was launched, leading to the arrest of five suspects identified as Morenikeji Badmus, 36; Adedoja Segun, 40; Jeremiah Odise Ugbede Onride, 49; Mike Stephen, 28; and David Odeh, 32.
The suspects were arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, serious assault on police officers, obstruction of lawful duty and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
The police said efforts were still ongoing to arrest other suspects who fled the scene of the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting police officers carrying out their lawful responsibilities.
“Members of the public are urged to refrain from physical confrontation with law enforcement personnel and channel grievances through established lawful channels,” the statement said.
The command added that “the safety of police officers performing lawful duties remains a priority of the command.”
News
9 Yr-Old Arrested Over Deaths Of 4 Family Members
The Yobe State Police Command has arrested a nine-year-old boy over the alleged killing of four family members in Rugan Badali community, Karasuwa Local Council of the state.
The police said the child allegedly set fire to the family house while his two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep, resulting in their deaths.
According to report, the suspect was said to have committed the act after his father flogged him over an allegation that he had stolen a fowl.
Speaking with journalists in Damaturu yesterday, the suspect, whose name was withheld because of his age, allegedly confessed to setting the house ablaze.
He said he bought matches the following day and set fire to the house.
“I carried one of our fowls to sell. People reported me to my father, and I was beaten. The following day, I bought N50 worth of matches in the neighbourhood. While my two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep, I set our house on fire as revenge for what my father did to me,” he said.
The boy added: “People came to the rescue. I did not tell them that I was the one who did it until after three days of prayer. I then confessed and was later arrested by policemen and brought here to Damaturu.”
Parading the suspect alongside his father, Abubakar Idi, the police spokesperson, ASP Yusuf Ali, said the boy remained a suspect despite his age.
Ali said the case would be handled in accordance with the law, stressing that the incident underscored the need for greater attention to criminal activities involving children.
He expressed concern over the development, particularly as the state continues to recover from the effects of Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges.
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