Strong indications emerged Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari may have reinforced his earlier directives not to allow ballot box snatchers go scot free, ahead of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
This followed the warning issued on Tuesday by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to the effect that “whoever snatches ballot box on election day will have him or herself to blame”
Adamu who was briefing State House Correspondents after the security meeting between President Muhamamdu Buhari and the Service Chiefs, said the Service Chiefs had briefed the President on the secure situation in the country.
The meeting which held behind closed doors was at the instance of the President ahead of preparations for the Saturday election.
Recall that President Buhari had while speaking at the All Progressive Congress APC expanded caucus meeting in Abuja on Monday said directives have been issued to security operatives to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers
According to the IGP, “ Today, members of the security community and intelligence community came and briefed Mr. President on the security situation in the country.
“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.
The IGP, while assuring Nigerians of security, said “ Every Nigerian is encouraged to come out on the Election Day and cast his or her vote without any fear of molestation.
He however warned that security personnel are ready and prepared to protect everybody, adding that “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 his or herself to blame on the Election Day. So you better don’t allow yourself to be used.”
The meeting, Businessday gathered, had focused on the states that have higher than average security challenges than others.
Four states were invited, including the Governors of Yobe, Borno, Adamawa and Kaduna States
