70 election-related attacks recorded in 19 states, 27 killed – Centre for Security
The African Centre for Security, Governance and Development, CentreSGD, has said 70 physical election-related attacks were recorded across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory between January 1 and October 27, 2026, leaving 27 people dead. The executive director of CentreSGD, Theresa Chigozirim Odinkalu-Okoro, in a statement, on Sunday warned that the incidents reflect escalating […] 70…
In a concerning escalation of political violence, 70 election-related attacks occurred in 19 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory between January and October 2026, resulting in 27 fatalities, according to the African Centre for Security, Governance and Development (CentreSGD). The center's executive director, Theresa Chigozirim Odinkalu-Okoro, cautioned that these incidents jeopardize the integrity of the 2027 general elections, as attacks target candidates, supporters, campaign vehicles, and party headquarters, instilling a pervasive climate of insecurity.
CentreSGD's assessment, based on the CLEEN Foundation’s Election Security Threat Analysis and Yiaga Africa’s September 2026 National Voting Intentions Survey, reveals that 61% of Nigerians fear violence may impede their ability to cast their ballots. This concern is particularly pronounced in the North-East, where 78% of respondents expressed apprehension.
Among the reported attacks are assaults on the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in Enugu, APC campaign vehicles in Malumfashi and Yankara, Katsina State, and the beating of African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and his entourage in Ado-Ekiti.
The center also documented allegations of ADC governorship candidate convoy attacks in Sokoto and ADC campaign vehicles, including that of presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, in Kebbi State. However, the center did not definitively attribute culpability, instead urging thorough investigations and prosecution where evidence warranted.
CentreSGD called upon the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to swiftly and impartially investigate these attacks, ensuring those responsible face justice and their sponsors are held accountable.
The organization emphasized that elections must be contests of ideas and popular mandate, not battlegrounds for physical force or armed coercion. It warned that a society gripped by fear cannot sustain a healthy democracy.
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