INEC suspends 205 staff over bribery allegation

Two hundred and five members of staff at the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) have been suspended and placed on half
salary.
The suspension was announced on Tuesday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The
decision follows a meeting which considers the report of the
Commission’s committee set up to look into an interim report by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing some of its
officials of fraud during the 2015 general elections.
A statement
signed by INEC National Commissioner, Mr Mohammed Haruna, read: “Based
on their level of involvement, two hundred and five (205) serving INEC
staff will be immediately placed on interdiction, which entails
suspension from duties and being placed on half salary, pending the
final determination of the cases they have with the EFCC.
“Seventy staff (70), about whom there was insufficient information
regarding their involvement, will be referred back to EFCC for further
investigation and possible prosecution.
“Out of over 23 billion
Naira which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections,
the Committee established that 3,046,829,000 Naira was received by INEC
staff in 16 states.”
INEC noted that it will continue to take
stern action against its officials who compromise its core values of
integrity, transparency and impartiality in the conduct of elections.