PDP Agent Arrested With ₦25.9m Cash for Alleged Vote-Buying in Kaduna

Security agencies in Kaduna have arrested a suspected vote-buyer said to be working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election held on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The suspect, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was apprehended in the early hours of Saturday around 3:30 am at a hotel along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis. According to reports, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) acted on intelligence and intercepted him with a staggering ₦25.963 million in cash, suspected to have been earmarked for inducing voters.

Sources said Patangi admitted during interrogation that the money was meant to influence eligible voters in favour of his party.

He was also reported to have pleaded for leniency when confronted with the evidence.

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, confirmed the arrest, describing it as a major breakthrough in efforts to ensure credible and transparent polls. He commended the synergy between the police and the DSS in nipping electoral malpractice in the bud.

The commissioner also warned that anyone attempting to compromise the electoral process would be made to face the full weight of the law.

The arrest has generated significant attention given the magnitude of the cash involved and the sensitive nature of the by-election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier assured voters that measures were in place to tackle vote-buying, which has remained a recurring challenge in Nigeria’s electoral system.

As of the time of reporting, the suspect remains in custody, and security operatives have hinted that further investigations are ongoing to unravel possible networks behind the alleged plot.