The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has warned politicians against encouraging thugs and other citizens to take up arms under the guise of protecting their votes during the 2027 general elections.

Keyamo accused some politicians of putting young Nigerians at risk of violence while ensuring that their own children remain safe abroad.

He issued the warning in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, describing the politicians as “unscrupulous” and their supporters as “hapless” citizens being used for political interests.

“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,” he said.

The minister recalled the warning issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 general elections, when he cautioned ballot box snatchers that they would do so “at the expense of his own life”.

Keyamo said he supported Buhari’s position and maintained that security agencies were justified in using lawful force against anyone who attacked others with dangerous weapons while claiming to protect election results.

“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,” he said.

He added that the children of politicians who encouraged violence would be watching events from the safety of foreign countries.

“And the children of the politicians will be watching your foolishness from their safe haven somewhere in the world,” he said.

Buhari made the controversial warning on February 18, 2019, during an emergency meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he directed security agencies to deal firmly with anyone attempting to snatch ballot boxes during the presidential election. (The Sun)