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Ahead of the 2027 polls, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has warned citizens against taking up arms under the guise of protecting their votes.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) sounded the note of warning in an X post on Tuesday.
Keyamo flayed politicians who ferry their children abroad but encourage citizens to take up weapons to kill one another during elections.
He said, “After safely ferrying their children abroad, some unscrupulous politicians are encouraging hapless citizens and thugs to take up weapons to kill one another under the pretext of ‘protecting their votes’. That’s fine.
“Let me reiterate what late President Buhari said pre-2019 election (which I supported and I still support): when you resort to self-help and you take up dangerous weapons in the guise of ‘protecting your votes’ and you attack anybody, it is lawful and legitimate for law enforcement agents to ‘neutralise’ you or simple ‘put you down’ in the course of their duty.
“And the children of the politicians will be watching your foolishness from their safe haven somewhere in the world. Having been forewarned, you can then go ahead and exercise your options.”
The minister’s latest comment comes amid heightened political tension ahead of the 2027 presidential election, scheduled for January 16, 2027, with increased incidents of poster destruction, alleged voter intimidation and clashes reported in several states including Ekiti and Sokoto in recent days.
Keyamo has in recent weeks also accused opposition parties of staging attacks on APC campaign materials as propaganda stunts, while also condemning attacks on opposition candidates, saying all candidates must be allowed to move freely and that grievances should be expressed through the ballot.
