Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Frank Mba, who is overseeing security for the upcoming Edo State governorship election, has expressed concern over the ongoing challenge of curbing vote buying. During an interview with Channels Television on Friday, Mba explained that controlling the act of buying and selling votes is one of the most difficult tasks for law enforcement officers.
Mba highlighted that the nature of vote buying makes it particularly hard to prevent, as the practice often takes place in private spaces, away from the eyes of the public and security officials. He explained, “Vote buying is one of the most difficult offences to actually police and manage, and I am saying this with every sense of honesty.”
He further noted that much of the vote-buying activity happens behind closed doors, in private homes, and out of the reach of law enforcement. According to him, this makes it hard for the police to completely prevent the illegal act. “Sometimes, they take place in the bedrooms of citizens, and we don’t have the capacity to police every bedroom, every kitchen, every toilet, and every balcony,” Mba said.
However, Mba reassured the public that the police are committed to taking swift action against any incidents of vote buying that happen in public view. He pledged that the police will handle all cases that their security network is able to detect and intercept.
