Buhari’s warning to ballot box snatchers backed by law - Presidential aide Onochie

- Lauretta Onochie claims that the instruction by President Muhammadu Buhari to security agencies over ballot box snatching is backed by law

- Onochie cited some sections of the Nigerian law that backs the instruction and further stresses the warning

- Some APC chieftains earlier attempted to clear the air on the president's warning ahead of the general elections

Lauretta Onochie, a social media aide to Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, February 19, declared that the alleged controversial warning from the president to would-be ballot snatchers during the elections is backed by the laws of the country.

Onochie, who made her position known on her social media handle, cited sections of the electoral law to back her claim.

Legit.ng had reported that President Buhari warned those who think they can lead thugs to snatch ballot boxes to desist from such because they would do so at the expense of their own lives.

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While some chieftains of the APC, including Bola Tinubu, had made efforts to explain to Nigerians that President Buhari did not explicitly give an order that ballot snatchers should be killed, Onochie argued, using the #SnatchAndDie, to declare that section 33 (1) of the law states: “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.

“(2) A person SHALL NOT be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section, if he dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary -

“(a) for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property:

“(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or

“(c) for the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.”

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Arguing further with #SnatchAtYourOwnRisk, Onochie said: “The commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has the right and power to protect us from those who plan to thwart our collective will.

“Democracy has two sides. Soft and hard. We love our president for learning more on the soft side of democracy. But criminal elements, are taking it for weakness.

“This hard side of democracy is quite timely and we love you Mr President for insisting on protecting the votes of Nigerians from thieves.”

Legit.ng earlier reported that Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accused President Muhammadu Buhari of giving marching orders to the military and police to brutalise voters during the forthcoming general elections.

The report said Secondus, who was responding to Buhari’s order to security agencies to be ruthless against anyone found snatching ballot boxes during the polls, said: “The president’s remarks amount to a declaration of war on Nigerian voters and a direct incitement against voters."

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Source: Legit.ng