Anybody planning to snatch ballot boxes or to be used as a tout one election day will have himself or herself to blame, acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has warned.
IGP Adamu spoke after a security meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday. He warned that “ballot-snatching, ballot-buying, thuggery will never be allowed”.
The President had, on Monday, at the opening of All Progressives Congress (APC) national caucus emergency meeting in Abuja said, “I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system, he would do it at the expense of his own life.”
Adamu said the police were ready to “protect Nigerians.”
He told journalists, “Today, members of the security community and intelligence community came and briefed Mr. President on the security situation in the country.
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“We deliberated on the consequences and came up with the resolve to further provide adequate security within the country so that the electorates will come out and cast their votes without any fear of molestation.
“Every Nigerian is encouraged to come out on the election day and cast his or her vote without any fear of molestation. The security personnel are ready and prepared to protect everybody.
“Anybody that feels that he can come out and disrupt process should have a rethink because that situation will not be allowed. If you plan and allow yourself to be used as touts, whatever happens to you, you will take it.
“Ballot-snatching, ballot-buying, thuggery will never be allowed… anybody that is planning to snatch ballot boxes or planning to be used as a tout, will have himself or herself to blame on election day. So, you better don’t allow yourself to be used.”