The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, Wednesday, said the Nigerian Army had uncovered plans by some politicians to disrupt the upcoming gubernatorial elections including setting off bombs.

He made this known during a meeting with Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Commanding (GOC), Operational Commanders and Directors held at Army Headquarters, Abuja.

He said recent security threat assessment and analysis of the coming elections showed that politicians have made plans to use all means available to truncate the peaceful conduct of the elections.

He added that: “There are indications of their intent to take advantage of and to use the farmers/herders crisis, armed political thugs and ethnic militias to perpetrate acts of violence including bombings.

“Some of them also intend to infiltrate domestic staff of political opponents, employ mercenaries to carry out acts of assassinations, use the social media for smear campaigns, hate speeches and spread fake news in a bid to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections.

“We must not allow them to succeed. We shall not allow those who are determined to undermine our electoral process to succeed.”

He said the forthcoming gubernatorial and state assembly elections are very crucial, noting that it is an election that touches on the interest of the people at the grassroots and could likely be volatile in nature.

He urged all commanders to work assiduously and closely with the civil authorities and all law-abiding individuals as well as groups to ensure the success of the forthcoming elections.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report

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