The African Centre for Security, Governance and Development (CentreSGD) has disclosed that 70 physical election-related attacks were recorded across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January 1 and October 27, 2026, resulting in 27 fatalities.
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In a statement issued on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Executive Director of CentreSGD, Theresa Chigozirim Odinkalu-Okoro, warned that the rising wave of political violence poses a systemic threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections, with fewer than 70 days remaining before the January 16 presidential and National Assembly polls.
According to the organization, persistent attacks on candidates, party supporters, campaign convoys, and political offices have turned routine campaign activities into high-risk events, raising serious security concerns nationwide.
Citing data from the CLEEN Foundation’s Election Security Threat Assessment and Yiaga Africa’s National Voting Intentions Survey conducted in September 2026, CentreSGD noted that 61 percent of Nigerians fear that violence could prevent them from casting their ballots.
The concern is significantly higher in the North-East geopolitical zone, where 78 percent of respondents expressed similar apprehensions.
Among the incidents highlighted by the centre were attacks on Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in Enugu, ambushes on All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign convoys in Malumfashi and Yankara in Katsina State, and the assault on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and his entourage in Ado-Ekiti.
Odinkalu-Okoro also referenced alleged attacks on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate’s convoy in Sokoto State and ADC campaign convoys—including that of presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar—in Kebbi State.
While acknowledging that some of the reported incidents have been disputed by the political parties and authorities involved, CentreSGD emphasized that it was not pronouncing on culpability.
Instead, the organization called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to conduct prompt, transparent, and non-partisan investigations and prosecute perpetrators and their sponsors.
“Democracy cannot thrive in an environment governed by fear. Elections should be a contest of ideas and popular mandate, not a test of physical force or armed coercion,” the centre stated.
CentreSGD further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to publish a threat-based national election security plan, while calling on state governments to guarantee equal and transparent access to public facilities and campaign venues for all political parties.
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