Election Scandal: DSS Arrests Suspected PDP Vote Buyer With N30m in Kaduna

Major DSS Arrests Disrupts Vote-Buying Scheme in Kaduna By-Election.

In a decisive intervention ahead of the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election in Kaduna State, security forces from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) successfully apprehended a suspected vote-buying operative affiliated with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The individual, identified as Shehu Aliyu Patangi, was taken into custody early Saturday morning—around 3:30 a.m.—at a well-known hotel situated along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis.

Shehu Aliyu Patangi arrest

Amount recovered in DSS Arrests

Investigations revealed that Patangi was found in possession of a staggering N25,963,000 in cash. According to security sources, this large sum was allegedly intended to financially incentivize voters, thereby potentially skewing the outcome of the upcoming by-election.

During his interrogation, Patangi reportedly admitted to orchestrating the distribution of the funds for voter inducement and even pleaded for leniency—a confession that has intensified scrutiny on the integrity of the electoral process.

DSS Arrests, a joint operation

Kaduna Police Command, through spokesperson DSP Mansir Hassan, emphasized that this operation was part of a sustained and collaborative effort among security agencies to ensure that the by-elections occur without interference from illicit actors. The Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the successful joint effort, offering a stern warning that regardless of social or political standing, anyone who attempts to undermine the elections will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Electoral integrity Kaduna State

Police authorities also reassured residents that comprehensive security measures remain in place across all flashpoints. They called on Kaduna’s electorate to exercise their democratic rights freely, without fear or intimidation, and to trust in the protections put in place for fair conduct before, during, and after the polls.