Ballot box snatchers will pay with their lives, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says anyone planning to snatch ballot boxes during the forthcoming elections will do so “at the expense of his own life”.

Speaking at an emergency meeting of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday, Buhari warned against tampering with the electoral process.

He said having campaigned across the country, he has garnered enough support and does not need anybody to rig election of his behalf.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb, it may be the last unlawful action you will take,” Buhari said.

“I really give the military and the police [the power] to be ruthless. We are not going be blamed but we won’t rig election. I want Nigerians to be respected; let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I’m not afraid of it.

“The whole 36 states in Nigeria, I went round. I think I have got enough support across the country to look after me. So I’m going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

He asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to take voters for granted and advised security agencies to respect the rights of voters during the electoral process.