‘Call your thugs to order now’ – Buhari warns politicians
President Muhamadu Buhari has called on politicians to call their supporters to order as campaign for the 2023 general elections hots up.
Not happy with the growing wave of election-related violence across the country, Buhari warned politicians about the consequences of their actions, asking them to call their thugs to order or risk commensurate backlash from law enforcement agencies.
According to him, the federal government is concerned about the resort to violence by politicians, saying within a space of one month, 32 such incidents have been recorded.
Reading the Riot Act to politicians and their thugs, National Security Adviser NSA, General Mohammed Monguno (retd), said President Buhari has instructed him to convey his directives to the defence, security, intelligence and paramilitary services to be firm in stemming the tide of violence.
Monguno said; “There are issues that have emerged. From my statistics, I am aware of the fact that within a period of one month, from October 8 to November 9, we have had 32 cases of violence across 22 states. This is a bad signal. This is something that we do not want to continue.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to safeguarding and upholding democracy. The president has also given his directive through me to all the operating intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the 2023 elections are held in an atmosphere bereft, devoid of any rancour”.
“I want to assure you that the security agencies have been given clear cut instructions to preempt and deal with any situation on which any group or organization or institution decides to embark on what we consider to be a fundamentally criminal enterprise or undertaking whether it is an isolated incident or collective undertakings.
“Those people who have gangsters working for them, I want to send a very clear warning, a categorical and unequivocal warning to everyone regardless of whichever party, including the party of the president, for as long as you decide to scuttle the electoral process, the law enforcement agencies will equally be uninhibited in reacting to whatever action you have taken. You will be visited with appropriate and commensurate response and I am saying this with all sincerity.
“So, those who think they have a history of organizing and controlling crooks that have an inclination for expressing inordinate behaviour, I want to sound this warning to you; please, reassess, reevaluate your inclination or contemplation. Call your people and advise them that as long as they do not behave in a manner that suggests compliance with the Electoral Law, you will be held accountable.
“Already, the security and Intelligence agencies are tracking these people. Call your thugs and advise them to lay down whatever plans they have, because whoever wins in any state, that party has won. This is the intention of the president of this country. There can be no pretense, no excuse whatsoever”, he added.
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