IGP Echoes Buhari, ‘Snatch Ballot Box At Your Own Peril’

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has warned would-be ballot snatchers to do so at their own peril.

Adamu’s warning is coming barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari gave the warning at the All Progressives Congress (APC), national caucus emergency meeting in Abuja.

“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,” President Buhari warned.

Speaking shortly after a security meeting with President Buhari and other security chiefs at the State House, Adamu said the protection of Nigerians remains paramount.

“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 electorate 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 the 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, and 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 warned.