Buhari dissociates FG from Gov El-Rufai’s ‘body bags’ threat

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the diplomatic community and foreign election observers in Nigeria of their safety during the elections

Many will interpret this as an indirect rebuttal of threats by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, who recently said “we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags”.

He later said he was defending “Nigeria’s integrity” while Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said what the governor said was “in the national interest”.

But Buhari, in a state broadcast on Thursday evening, said the foreign community has nothing to fear.

“I want to assure all Nigerians, the diplomatic community and all foreign election observers of their safety and full protection. Any comments or threats of intimidation from any source do not represent the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Buhari said.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the federal government “to the conduct of free and fair elections in a safe and peaceful atmosphere”, adding that “just yesterday, I signed the Peace Accord alongside 72 other presidential candidates”.