PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, warned Biafran agitators who destroyed INEC offices in the Southeast that they “will soon have the shock of their lives.”
While promising to give the electoral body the needed support against further attacks, the president vowed to protect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices and other national assets across the country.
Buhari disclosed this when he received the INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja.
He announced that he received, on daily basis, security reports of the attacks on critical infrastructure in the country, saying that those behind the numerous incidents were determined to pull down his administration.
But he vowed to deal with the perpetrators behind the multiple attacks.
“Whoever wants the destruction of the system will soon have the shock of their lives. We have given them enough time….we will not allow those behind them to achieve their evil objectives,” he stated through his verified Twitter handle.
“I have assured INEC that we will make available to them everything they need to operate efficiently, so that no one will say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term. There will be no excuse for failure. We will meet all INEC’s demands.”
Describing the series of attacks as totally unacceptable, Buhari emphasised that his administration had changed the service chiefs as demanded by the people. Thus, the responsibility lied with the security operatives to address the lingering security challenges confronting the country, he noted.
Besides, he warned the Biafra agitators against further tensions, stressing that some of those involved in the push for secession were too young to understand the level of destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the nation’s civil war in 1970. The civil war started from May 1967 to January 1970. No fewer than a million people reportedly died during the war.
Meanwhile, reports show that the nation’s electoral offices have witnessed multiple attacks in recent times. About 41 INEC offices have been reportedly attacked from February 2019 to May 2021.
INEC, had, as a result, condemned the multiple incidents and called for urgent intervention.
Political actors also shared similar concerns over the reoccurring situation.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have repeatedly been accused of those atrocities, especially in the South-East part of the country.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at [email protected]. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin