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2027: Keyamo Warns Nigerians Against Taking Up Arms to Protect Votes

Published

2 hours ago

November 3, 2026

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has warned Nigerians against resorting to violence under the guise of protecting their votes during the 2027 general elections.

Keyamo cautioned that individuals who carry dangerous weapons, attack others or engage in violent confrontations while claiming to defend their votes could be lawfully neutralised by security operatives acting in the course of their duties.

The minister gave the warning in a post on his X account on Tuesday, endorsing a similar position expressed by former President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He accused some politicians of encouraging unsuspecting citizens and suspected thugs to engage in electoral violence while allegedly sending their own children abroad to remain safe.

“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’,” he said.

Recalling Buhari’s pre-2019 election warning, Keyamo maintained that security operatives were justified in neutralising individuals who resorted to self-help, carried dangerous weapons and attacked others under the pretext of protecting their votes.

He urged those contemplating electoral violence to consider the consequences of confronting security personnel, stressing that the law would take its course.

Keyamo further alleged that politicians instigating violence would have their children watching the electoral process from the safety of foreign countries.

“Having been forewarned, you can then go ahead and exercise your options. CHIKENA!!” he added.