A day before the start of the 2023 general elections, the police in Rivers State, south-south Nigeria, detained federal legislator Chinyere Igwe with $498,100.
According to the police, Mr. Igwe was detained in the early hours of Friday.
According to a statement from Grace Iringe-Koko on Friday, "Police Officers from Rivers State Command deployed to INEC Headquarters Aba Road today at about 2:45 a.m., while on stop and search, arrested Hon Chinyere Igwe, member of the House of Representatives representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency with a cash sum of 498,100 USD inside a bag in his car."
The politician was also found to have a list for the money's distribution, according to the police.
According to a police spokeswoman, the state's assistant inspector general of police, Abutu Yaro, has directed a prompt investigation and court arraignment of Mr. Igwe.
"The Command urges all candidates and political parties to rigorously abide by the Election Act's requirements and other pertinent regulations.
Mr. Igwe is a supporter of Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar (PDP).
Atiku Campaign Council spokesperson Leloonu Nwibubasa denied being aware of the incident.
The Rivers State Government provided a footage of Mr. Igwe being questioned by security personnel to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday morning.
In the video, Mr. Igwe said to the interviewer that he was stopped and searched by security personnel along Aba Road in the early hours of Friday (about midnight) while he was travelling home.
They advised me to descend, so I did. They looked around and discovered the cash, he stated in the video.
He stated that the money was provided to him on Thursday, when he left it in his car. He claimed that while some of the money was given to help the party, the remainder was his own personal funds.
When asked who provided him the money that wasn't his, he responded, "Party system." The person in the little video's identity was kept a secret by the speaker.
Paul Ibe, a representative for Atiku, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was not aware of the occurrence. He added that he was unsure of Mr. Igwe's relationship to the PDP presidential contender.
He claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is currently in power, was behind Mr. Igwe's incarceration "because they have nothing to offer."
The event happened two days after armed assailants in the state attacked a radio and television station owned by Mr. Igwe.
The Rivers State Government sealed a Mr. Igwe's gas station a few months ago due to allegations of involvement in illegal bunkering, but the lawmaker rejected the allegations, claiming Governor Nyesom Wike had victimized him for his support of Atiku.
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