The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has issued a stern warning to political actors, vote buyers and individuals with violent tendencies to desist from actions capable of undermining the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections and the by-elections in Rivers and Kano States.
Ribadu gave the warning on Friday in Abuja at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the February 21 polls.
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Represented by the Director of Internal Security at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Hassan Abdullahi, Ribadu said security agencies would proactively identify and deal with political thugs, violent actors and vote buyers before, during and after the elections.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Police Force, as the lead agency for election security, in collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies, was already mobilising resources to forestall any disruption of the electoral process.
“Accordingly, adequate security personnel will be deployed to polling units and high-risk electoral wards. Political thugs and politicians with violent dispositions will be identified and reprimanded or restrained, while vote buyers will be traced and apprehended,” he said.
The NSA urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly and uphold the sanctity of the democratic process, warning that any breach of the law would attract severe sanctions.
Ribadu also called on the media, civil society organisations, community leaders and citizens to embrace a shared responsibility in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
He commended INEC for the successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election and praised security agencies for maintaining law and order during the exercise, noting that the peaceful outcome reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to free, fair and violence-free elections.
According to him, the Anambra experience sets a positive benchmark as the country prepares for the FCT Area Council polls, by-elections in Rivers and Kano, off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti on June 20 and Osun on August 8, as well as the 2027 general elections and ongoing voter registration activities.
Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by CP Abayomi Shogunle, assured Nigerians of massive security deployment to guarantee peaceful elections. He said the police would provide round-the-clock security for INEC facilities and personnel nationwide.
Earlier, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, urged security agencies to intensify planning, intelligence gathering, deployment and inter-agency coordination to ensure hitch-free elections in the FCT, Rivers and Kano states.