Nigeria lawmaker Chinyere Igwe arrested with nearly $500K before Election

River State Police Command in Nigeria on Friday arrested a lawmaker who allegedly was carrying nearly $500,000 in cash in a battleground state a day before the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, raising fresh concerns Friday about the influence of money in the vote.

Igwe, a lawmaker representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency  according to the statement by Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko was apprehended with with U.S. dollar currencies with a list of how to distribute it.

“Police Officers from Rivers State Command deployed to INEC Headquarters Aba Road today 24/2/2023 at about 0245hrs, while on stop and search, arrested one Hon Chinyere Igwe, member House of Representatives representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency with a cash sum of 498,100 USD inside a bag in his car.”

It is illegal to move undeclared cash of more than $10,000 in Nigeria. Authorities were interrogating the lawmaker Friday, Iringe-Koko said.

Authorities in Kano state, meanwhile, announced the arrests of more than 60 “suspected thugs with dangerous weapons” after supporters of political parties clashed Thursday. Local media reported one person was burned to death in the clashes.

As the election voting starts tomorrow many parties and their candidates may be involve in votes buying and that is not a good news at this point in time., when Nigeria desperately need a leader with integrity to tackle the numerous problems confronting the country.