Musa said this when he, along with the Commander of Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral E. O. Ferreira, and other senior military officers visited the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, in the Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
The CDS explained that he and his team were in Bayelsa to assess the security situation and to ensure that the state was secure and protected ahead of the November 11 governorship elections.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, noted that Musa warned anyone planning to perpetrate violence to steer clear of the elections in the three states and cautioned security agencies against acts that would compromise the polls.
In addition, he said security agencies have the President’s directive to bring to an end acts of criminality, including sea piracy, illegal bunkering, and pipeline vandalism, to ensure that oil production output increases to boost national economy.
The CDS said, “I have come with a very powerful team. We want to ensure that the state is fully secure and well-protected so that Bayelsa will continue to develop. As Bayelsa develops, I am sure the rest of the South-South will develop, and Nigeria too.
“Last week, we held a meeting with the National Security Adviser, the INEC Chairman, and other stakeholders on the need to conduct credible and peaceful elections. For us, that is a marching order.
“Within us, if anybody wants to sabotage the election, I want to assure that all security agencies are going to be very watchful of our conduct. If any of the security agencies stain the election, it is going to stain all of us, and we are not going to allow that.
“Prior to the election, a number of steps will be taken to ensure that everywhere is calm and everybody is allowed to come out and vote. The era where people will use violence to intimidate voters and snatch ballot boxes is gone.
“We want to warn those who think it is their birthright to perpetrate violence during elections that henceforth it is not going to be business as usual. Any member of the Armed Forces caught compromising the election risks a court-martial.”
Receiving the CDS and his team, Governor Diri called on security agencies to ensure that the conduct of the governorship election in the state was peaceful and credible.
He advised the military officers not to allow anybody or a group of persons to engage in acts capable of undermining the electoral process.
The governor said that the government would support the security agencies to prevent violence and ensure a peaceful poll.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the country’s democracy, noting that all institutions, particularly the military, must collectively work to build viable democratic institutions.
Diri said, “Bayelsa is a flashpoint. So you have to do everything within your power to ensure that we do not give room to those allegedly sewing military uniforms and plotting to impersonate military officers to undermine the election.
“As a government, we will give you every support to ensure that we do not lose one life.
“There are institutions that make democracy tick, and one of them is the military. Listening to you, we have hope that the military will be up to its task to make democracy stronger and much better in the coming years.”
