The Nigerian Army has reacted to a controversial statement issued by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday that all those planning to snatch ballot boxes may be carrying out their last illegal acts.
The comment is already generating heated debates in the polity with many saying the president’s statement is a veiled sanction to security operatives to kill (extrajudicially) those who run afoul of the electoral law.
The president made the statement at the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting on Monday.
A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has, however, defended the president saying President Muhammadu Buhari was ‘misinterpreted’.
The Electoral Act prescribes two years in jail, not death, for persons found guilty of snatching or destroying election materials.
Lawyers also argue that Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution gives instances where ”one may forfeit his/her life as a result of certain scenarios”.
The Nigerian Army on Monday added another twist to the debate when it told PREMIUM TIMES it will obey ‘totally and effectively’ such order if it is given by Mr Buhari.
“If Commander-in-Chief has given order to the Nigerian Army to that effect, be rest assured that order will be totally and effectively obeyed without any ifs or buts,” Army spokesperson Sagir Musa told PREMIUM TIMES when reached for comments about whether the military would review its rules of engagement if Mr Buhari gave an order for shooting of ballot box snatchers.
The Nigerian Army had earlier said it would deploy personnel for the elections, but only on contingent bases on the outer perimeter of communities rather than near polling units.
The police did not immediately return requests for comments about how they would treat any controversial directive by the president.
What Buhari said

President Buhari on Monday afternoon ordered security forces to be ruthless against anyone caught snatching ballot boxes after citizens had voted.
”Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, maybe that would be the last unlawful action you would take. I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless.
”I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life,” the president said at a gathering of the ruling All Progressives Congress on Monday in Abuja.

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In this case,anybody that will snatch ballot box's should be shot . law ko law ni.I stand with buhari on this."strong hand na him fit stubborn Nigerians.

Desperation is not good reason to threaten peace.

A killing schedule

Snatching of electoral materials is suicidal,it's a democratic coup and any sane democratically oriented govt must be against it.the threat should be seen as a sign of commitment to a pure democratic transmission rather than reading Hippocratic meanings to it.btw why would anybody who advocates a free and fair elections want to snatch ballot boxes?.I agree with the president on this one cos one man to one vote should stand and count.

I see the NA killing lots of innocent Nigerians come Saturday.

adadike:
I see the NA killing lots of innocent Nigerians come Saturday.

Ballot snatchers will all be arrested and jailed/face the consequences, kindly tell the people close to you not to dare go snatch a ballot box.
They won't be missed by their people.
Only supporters of CRIMINALS and thieves are afraid of this news.
Be guided!

Intimidation go dey this coming election. The fear of being label ballot snatcher or being mistaken for one, with our officers always looking for opportunities to impose havoc.

adadike:
I see the NA killing lots of innocent Nigerians come Saturday.

Are you a ballot box snatcher?

What we want him to do is to allow you provide video evidence of anybody the Nigerian Army kill during this election period. He can not issue death threat without check and ballances to ensure you will not go out of your bandery to kill innocent Nigerians.

That’s how stupid, insensitive, sectional, unpatriotic, dangerous Buhari is. That’s why we should vote him out

Ballot box snatching comes with violence and killings. Nigerian lives must be respected at all cost, that’s the oath of office administrated to the President on his day 1.