by Ranti Joseph

The General Officer Commanding II Mechanised Division, Ibadan, Sanusi Muazu, on Tuesday, March 2, said soldiers will not intimidate or harass genuine voters during the coming elections.

This was disclosed in a statement by the media aide to Osun state governor, Semiu Okanlawon during a courtesy visit to Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

“The military will not in any way intimidate or harass the electorate during the March and April elections. We will do everything possible to ensure that security is provided. We cannot do otherwise than to protect civilians. It is the tax-payers money that we depend on. We will do everything to make sure that lives and property are well protected.”

“It is a familiar terrain that we are in, I have served ‎in the region in various capacities, I can as well charge the people of Osun to sleep with their two eyes closed because the election will be free, fair and credible with the provision of adequate security,” he said.

Aregbesola had in his speech called on the military and other security agencies not to allow them to be used to intimidate the electorate or to subvert the will of the people advising soldiers and other security agents against obeying any instruction or order that will compromise their professionalism during the forth-coming general elections.

“It is a great misnomer and misuse of the military and tax payers’ resources for military and other security agents to be deployed during elections as instruments in harassing and intimidating the citizens’ freedom and liberty, and bully them for partisan and selfish interest of gaining electoral advantage.”

“During the last governorship election here, security agencies were unprofessionally utilised to harass, intimidate and oppress the people whose taxes were used to pay their salaries.‎ Our victory is due to the steadfastness and resolute determination of our people to assert and defend their rights,” the statement further read.

Janeth J