Rivers Police Command, Friday, arrested a lawmaker said to have been caught carrying nearly $500,000 in cash in a battleground state a day before the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, raising fresh concerns about the influence of money in the vote.
According to the Rivers Police Command’s Spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko said, the lawmaker, identified as Hon. Chinyere Igwe, of the House of Representatives, was found traveling with the money inside a bag in his car around 2 a.m. along with a distribution list.
It is illegal to move undeclared cash of more than $10,000 in Nigeria.
According to Iringe-Koko, the lawmaker is being interrogated.
The development comes as the police in Kano 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 violence.
Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to hold, this Saturday, February 25 across the country.