Keyamo Warns Nigerians Against Using Guns to Protect Votes in 2027 Election

(Minister Festus Keyamo. Photo Credit: The Sun Nigeria)
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has warned Nigerians not to pick up weapons in the name of protecting their votes in the 2027 elections.

The presidential and National Assembly polls are set for January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly polls for February 6, 2027.

In a post online, on Tuesday, Keyamo accused some politicians of sending their own children abroad for safety while urging ordinary citizens and thugs to fight and kill each other.

He said anyone who uses dangerous weapons to attack people under the pretext of protecting votes can be dealt with by law enforcement agents.

He backed a warning former President Muhammadu Buhari gave before the 2019 election.

Buhari said security agencies would act ruthlessly against anyone who tried to snatch ballot boxes or disrupt voting.

That comment drew criticism at the time, though the Presidency defended it.

INEC is now in the final stages of its preparations and has urged political parties to avoid intimidation and violence.

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. 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. And the children of the politicians will be watching your foolishness from their safe haven somewhere in the world. Having been forewarned, you can then go ahead and exercise your options. CHIKENA!!

— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) November 3, 2026