Abayomi Susan
Concerns over insecurity have emerged as one of the major challenges ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with the National Peace Committee disclosing that 2,510 security incidents were recorded across the country between June 2025 and August 2026.
The disclosure came as presidential candidates and political party leaders signed a National Peace Accord in Abuja ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the 2027 elections. The agreement commits political actors to peaceful and issue-based campaigns while rejecting violence, hate speech, intimidation, misinformation and ethnic or religious incitement.
The Peace Committee said the security incidents recorded through its Election Security Information Hub underscore the difficult environment in which the 2027 electoral process will take place. Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Benue and Plateau were identified among the states that have recorded significant security challenges.
According to the committee, banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of insecurity remain major concerns capable of affecting political activities, voter confidence and the ability of citizens to participate freely in the electoral process.
The development has raised questions about the ability of political parties and security agencies to maintain a peaceful environment throughout the campaign period and on election days. The committee has therefore urged political actors and other stakeholders to address tensions before they escalate into electoral violence.
At the signing ceremony, the National Peace Committee, working in partnership with The Kukah Centre, stressed that the accord was not merely a ceremonial document but a public commitment to peaceful political competition, respect for the rule of law, democratic accountability and the will of the people.
The committee also warned political parties, candidates, campaign spokespersons and supporters against the use or spread of fake news and misinformation capable of inflaming tensions. It said political language could become a serious security risk in an already sensitive electoral environment.
The monitoring of the 2023 electoral cycle, according to the committee, showed that 43 per cent of recorded peace-accord violations were linked to commitments on issue-based campaigns. Insults and violence accounted for 13.5 per cent, while fake news and disinformation represented nine per cent of the violations recorded.
The figures have renewed calls for politicians to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes and solutions to Nigeria’s challenges rather than personal attacks, ethnic mobilisation or inflammatory rhetoric.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has also identified security risks, localised electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech and disinformation as challenges that could affect voter confidence in the 2027 elections. INEC is expected to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
The Peace Accord was signed by several presidential candidates and political leaders, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Other candidates who attended included Peter Obi, Adewole Adebayo and Omoyele Sowore, while Atiku Abubakar was also not physically present at the ceremony.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, urged Nigerians to reject politicians who violate the peace agreement by voting against them at the polls. He also stressed the importance of conducting elections in which citizens can exercise their franchise without fear.
With the 2027 campaign season now underway, the challenge for political parties, candidates, security agencies, INEC, civil society organisations and voters will be to ensure that political competition does not degenerate into violence.
The National Peace Committee has consequently called on all stakeholders to respect the agreement and existing electoral laws, warning that political disagreements must not become conflict and that political mobilisation must not turn into intimidation.
As Nigeria prepares for another major electoral contest, the 2,510 security incidents recorded in the 14-month period serve as a reminder of the security pressures facing the democratic process. Whether the National Peace Accord can translate into concrete restraint by political actors and stronger protection for voters will be critical to the credibility and peaceful conduct of the 2027 elections.
