Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission for alleged extortion in Rivers State.
INEC confirmed the arrest on Tuesday via a statement issued by its Public Affairs Officer in the state, Geraldine Ekelemu.
According to the electoral body, the staff member– a security guard – was nabbed for allegedly extorting unsuspecting members of the public.
Though the affected personnel’s identity was not revealed, Channels Television gathered that he was attached to INEC’s office in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Ekelemu stated that INEC had zero-tolerance for acts of extortion by its staff members and would ensure that the security agencies investigated the allegation against the guard and any other allegations of illegality by its officials to ensure that every infraction was redressed and punished.
This was even as she urged members of the public to avoid acts of desperation that could render them vulnerable to fraudsters, adding that INEC offices in Rivers State were open and attending to potential registrants while registration was also ongoing in designated locations in some wards on a rotational basis.
Apart from the ongoing voter registration exercise, INEC also began the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards for those who sought transfers, who have lost their cards in Rivers.
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