THE National Security Adviser, Major Babagana Monguno, has said no amount of security threats, will prevent the general elections of 2023 from happening as scheduled.
He spoke while participating in the Ministerial Media Briefing held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the Presidential Communications Team.
On the continued attacks on INEC offices particularly after he had promised to deal decisively with the attackers, the NSA said security agencies were currently on the trail of the attackers.
Monguno warned governors against using thugs to stop the opposition from putting up campaign signs in key locations.
If such behavior persisted, he warned, the security authorities would quickly take the required action.
He affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari had made it clear that the elections in 2023 had to be free, fair, and credible.
“For those people who’ve been going around burning offices, killing people, the security agencies have been given that instruction. Visit them with all you have and let them understand that there are consequences for bad behavior, that we’re determined. Everybody is a Nigerian, everybody is free to do whatever he wants to do, but don’t cross the line and move into another person’s territory.
“That you want to destroy government property, property set up by taxpayer’s money? How dare you? Who the hell are you? In a normal society, this is not tolerated, and I believe we’re normal society, how can you just on your own, so please, let’s forget that one.”
Monguno cautioned governors using thugs to prevent opposition from placing their campaign materials in strategic points.
He said the security agencies would soon take necessary measures if such action continued.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari had given clear directives that the 2023 elections must be free, fair and credible.
“The people’s will must prevail. What happened in Anambra or Osun and Ekiti is what we want to happen all over the country. Let the people choose their leader, whoever they want, then later, they can decide.
“But in the process of electing who governs them, we must be mindful of the fact that there are people hell-bent on forcing on bullying and cornering their opponents. It’s not even a function of numbers or a function of money. It’s a big problem. It’s a problem that’s also linked with complex. Because if you’re really who you’re, you don’t need to hire thugs.
“If you cannot restrain your thugs, the government will do that for you. And you’ll be called on the carpet and you’ll answer questions. We have a lot of politicians and I’m not being specific about any politician or party. This virus has to be contained.
“I know we have a lot of political thugs, straining at the leash, foaming at the mouth, desperate to bite and taste blood.
“But we’re going to apply everything within the powers of the government. And I’m not saying we’re going to just operate in a manner that’s not regulated.”
Monguno emphasized the necessity for all Nigerians to put aside their ethnic, religious, and tribal differences in order to resolve the country’s insecurity problems.
According to him, the main causes of Nigeria’s security challenges were a variety of domestic problems brought on by social, political, or economic grievances.
He added that external events in the West African subregion and elsewhere also had an effect on the dynamics of internal security in Nigeria.
He cited the growth of small arms and light weapons, illiteracy, porous borders, illegal mining, hate speech, and fake news as causes of the insecurity.
The NSA said that large camps had been destroyed and that some of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) important commanders, including IED experts, had been apprehended.
According to Monguno, over 82 oil vessels implicated in various crude oil and product thefts have been apprehended, over 3 billion barrels of crude oil have been prevented from being stolen, and 11 million liters of gasoline and diesel have been recovered.
He promised that legal action will be taken against the crude oil theives.
Comments are closed.