The 82 Division Nigerian Army says residents in the South-East should troop out on Saturday to exercise their civic rights without fear, saying trouble makers plotting to disrupt the polls will be dealt with seriously.

Major-General Aminu Chinade, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, gave assurance of adequate security for the electorate during the election.

Addressing troops to be deployed across the region on Thursday in Enugu, Mr Chinade warned trouble-makers to steer clear of the zone, as the Nigeria Army was “highly prepared and motivated to give them a bloody nose.”

He assured that the army and other sister security agencies were prepared to provide robust and adequate security to ensure peaceful and successful elections in the region.

“I will urge all our brothers and sisters in the South-East to come out en masse to vote massively without any fear of molestation.

“They should disregard the empty threat issued by a fugitive in Europe and other threats coming from any miscreant saying that they should not come out and vote.

“Adequate security arrangements have been put in place all over the South-East to ensure that every Nigerian especially our brothers and sisters in the South-East exercise their franchise and vote without any fear.

“Those that feel within any reason that they want to disrupt this election, they are in for a bloody nose.”

The GOC further warned that the army had deployed resources to decisively deal with any negative situation.

Mr Chinade urged the troops to work closely with other security agencies and stakeholders to secure the lives and property of all residents.

This, he said, would provide a conducive atmosphere for peaceful and successful conduct of the elections on Saturday.

“In discharging our mandate, we must be professional, neutral and apolitical.

“The armed forces and especially the Nigerian Army is a neutral organisation when it comes to politics and so we will continue to be.

“We must work in partnership with other security agencies and host communities to ensure we deliver on our mandate for this election,” he said.

The army commander urged residents to call any of the following numbers in case of emergency:

Abia — 09029568595, 07067880707; Anamba — 08030881453, 08024087164; Ebonyi – 08161417223, 07030909717, 08136429668; Enugu – 08034089570, 08064272907, and Imo — 08164120381, 08035298532.

(NAN)