Polls: Police IG fires warning shot at ballot box snatchers

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu said on Tuesday that police authorities would not tolerate any act of violence capable of disrupting the forthcoming elections, especially snatching of ballot boxes. 

The IGP’s warning is coming barely 24 hours after the president said at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national caucus emergency meeting in Abuja that snatching of ballot boxes during elections would be at the expense of the lives of the perpetrators. 

Addressing State House correspondents after a security council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the police boss said those who snatch ballot boxes would have themselves to blame.

“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.

“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 his or herself to blame on the Election Day. So you better don’t allow yourself to be used,” he said. 

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