Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa REC, was arrested by police in Abuja.

Channels Television can confirm that Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, is in police arrest.

According to a statement from the Force’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, the police detained the troubled REC on Tuesday in Abuja.

Adejobi stated, “Barrister Ari is currently in police custody and is being interrogated to ascertain the reasons and motivations for his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa State. He was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

The team is also questioning other authorities and those responsible for the scandal.

“Everyone involved or accused in the case will be apprehended and investigated in accordance with the law’s provisions for potential prosecution, the Inspector-General of Police has stated clearly.

“The Inspector-General of Police has reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to seeing that justice is done in this case and that all responsible parties are brought to justice,” said the Inspector-General.

The news comes only hours after Ari stated in an interview with BBC Hausa that he would turn himself in to the police two weeks after going into hiding.

“I’ll definitely report to the cops. There was never a police summons before, but there is one today. I’m going to emerge from hiding shortly,” the troubled REC had promised.

The disqualified REC also claimed he had no regrets in declaring Aisha “Binani” Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the state’s victor in the governorship election of 2023.

After the supplementary election in Adamawa on April 15, 2023, Ari courted controversy when he declared Binani the victor while the results were still being tallied.

In response, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a thorough inquiry into the electoral commissioner and the security men present when he made the declaration. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) then overturned Ari’s decision and suspended him.

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, was subsequently declared the legitimate victor of the drama-filled election by INEC.

Security agents were also instructed to detain and charge the troubled REC, but Ari’s whereabouts were unclear for more than two weeks before to his Tuesday arrest.