With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections approaching, a growing pattern of attacks on political meetings, threats against opponents, destruction of campaign facilities and clashes among rival supporters is raising concerns over the safety of politicians, party members and voters.
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Across Lagos, Enugu, Edo, Rivers, Kogi, Cross River, Adamawa and several other states, political parties have accused rivals and unidentified armed groups of disrupting meetings, assaulting supporters and attempting to restrict lawful political activity.
The incidents have affected both ruling and opposition parties, deepening concerns that political competition could descend into violence if security agencies fail to respond impartially and promptly.
In Lagos, more than 100 suspected hoodlums were said to have invaded the Labour Party secretariat at Idimu, Alimosho Local Government Area, during a defection ceremony involving members moving to the African Democratic Congress.
Furniture and party flags were destroyed and some participants sustained injuries.
When the gathering was later relocated to Eco Centre Hall in Egbeda, it was allegedly attacked again.
In Enugu, armed men were accused of disrupting political gatherings, while opposition parties in Kogi alleged that attacks on ward meetings left some of their members hospitalised.
In Rivers State, the ADC said one of its members was killed while preparing for a political meeting, while in Cross River State, the Peoples Democratic Party alleged that gunmen attacked two consultation venues, injuring three people.
The ruling All Progressives Congress has also experienced violence.
In May, violence was said to have erupted during an APC House of Assembly primary in Kosofe, Lagos, while vehicles belonging to PDP members were vandalised during a governorship candidate affirmation event in Bauchi.
In Adamawa State, supporters associated with President Bola Tinubu’s second-term campaign slogan, “Tinubu Must Come,” reportedly clashed with members of the opposing “Tinubu Must Go” movement during a rally in the Jimeta area of Yola.
The incidents have raised questions about the capacity of security agencies to protect political gatherings, prevent retaliation and ensure that electoral violence is investigated regardless of the political affiliation of those involved.
The ADC said it had documented attacks and intimidation involving its members in at least nine states between July 2025 and September 2026.
The states identified by the party were Kaduna, Kebbi, Ekiti, Cross River, Rivers, Edo, Osun, Kogi and Enugu.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, cited attacks on party gatherings, assaults on members and threats allegedly directed at opposition politicians.
In February, the party said its secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, was attacked during a political gathering.
Gunshots were also said to have been heard at the residence of former Edo State Governor and former APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, where political leaders had assembled.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident and ordered an investigation, although the ADC later complained that it had not seen arrests, prosecutions or a public report on the outcome of the investigation.
In Rivers State, the ADC alleged that a member identified as Kamadiyoi was killed in Community Ward 1 of Abua/Odual Local Government Area while preparing for a meeting.
In Enugu State, an opposition gathering was allegedly disrupted by armed men, with police confirming that one person sustained a gunshot injury.
The Enugu State Government, however, disputed claims that anyone was killed.
The ADC also cited the disruption of an NDC gathering at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, where supporters had assembled to receive their governorship candidate.
The state government said the gathering did not have the required permission from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The Enugu chapter of the ADC subsequently demanded an impartial investigation, while three opposition governorship candidates — Uche Nnaji of the PDP, Christian Ohaa of the NDC and Ozor Obodoeze Ocho of the ADC — jointly called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to order an independent investigation involving officers from outside the Enugu State Police Command.
A timeline of reported attacks between May and October 2026 shows that the incidents have cut across several parties and regions.
On May 18 in Osogbo, Osun State, Accord alleged that armed men attacked Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign office and the party secretariat, damaging windows and offices.
Three days later in Kosofe, Lagos, violence disrupted an APC House of Assembly primary at Ikosi Senior High School, with supporters of aspirant Femi Saheed alleging that armed hoodlums attacked party members and left several people injured.
On May 26 in Bauchi, suspected political thugs vandalised vehicles belonging to PDP members during a governorship candidate affirmation event.
On June 9 in Ile-Ife, Osun State, a campaign walk for APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji reportedly degenerated into violence around Sabo, leaving about three people injured.
On July 31 in Ezza South, Ebonyi State, suspected thugs attacked a PDP rally organised for Ifeanyi Nworie. About 10 members were said to have been injured, while canopies, chairs and public-address equipment were destroyed.
On August 30 in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory, an Accord Party gathering was allegedly attacked by suspected thugs armed with cutlasses. Participants fled, property was damaged and at least one person was said to have been injured.
On September 9 in Kaduna State, ADC supporters participating in a solidarity walk for governorship candidate Isa Ashiru were allegedly attacked.
Three days later, an NDC ward meeting in Nkanu West, Enugu State, was reportedly disrupted by gunmen, leaving two participants injured. Canopies and chairs prepared for a separate PDP rally at Agbani were also allegedly destroyed.
Police ordered an investigation.
On September 14, an ADC meeting in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State was allegedly disrupted by suspected political thugs.
The following day in Ejule, Kogi State, suspected thugs reportedly disrupted another ADC meeting in Ofu Local Government Area, while the party also alleged attacks on members preparing for meetings in two wards.
In mid-September, the ADC said its member Kamadiyoi was killed in Abua/Odual, Rivers State, while supporters prepared for a meeting.
The identities of those responsible were not independently established.
On October 2 in Calabar South, Cross River State, the PDP alleged that gunmen attacked two political consultation venues, injured three people and vandalised vehicles belonging to supporters.
On October 6 in Igueben, Edo State, the ADC alleged that gunmen attacked a campaign convoy involving Kenneth Imasuangbon and Herbert Okonofua, leaving supporter Jerry Oliha with gunshot wounds.
An APC-linked council chairman accused of involvement denied the allegation.
On October 14 in Jimeta, Adamawa State, a rally supporting Tinubu’s second-term ambition reportedly encountered opposition from members of the “Tinubu Must Go” movement.
The documented incidents are not exhaustive, with the ADC also alleging intimidation and attacks in Kebbi and Ekiti states.
Concerns have also been heightened by statements attributed to public officials and political actors.
In Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, a council chairman was accused of threatening to demolish hotels that hosted NDC meetings.
He was also alleged to have visited Ekpoma motor park and directed commercial drivers wearing the caps of opposition parties to stop doing so.
In Kuje Area Council of the FCT, Chairman Danjuma Shekwolo was accused of telling residents who would not vote for the APC to leave the council.
In Borno State, a commissioner was accused of threatening to cut off the fingers of persons who refused to support the APC.
In Osun State, a senator was said to have urged supporters to “kill” Accord Party members ahead of the governorship election.
The allegations have raised concerns about the responsibility of political office holders to protect citizens’ constitutional right to participate freely in political activities.
In Rivers State, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, warned that former governor Rotimi Amaechi “will find it difficult to campaign in Rivers” if he continued describing President Tinubu and his supporters as thieves.
The ADC has also warned against the politicisation of law enforcement.
“The Nigeria police is not APC police; it is the police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Abdullahi said.
In the South-East, elder statesman and Chairman of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue, Chief Chekwas Okorie, warned governors against allowing the region to become a theatre of political conflict.
“It is no longer safe for members of opposition parties to hold public gatherings anywhere in the geopolitical zone without being attacked by heavily armed thugs,” he said.
Okorie also alleged that some governors were charging hundreds of millions of naira for campaign billboards, which he said could restrict opposition parties’ access to public spaces.
He claimed that some opposition groups had responded by tearing down billboards belonging to ruling parties.
In Enugu, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, accused opposition members of planning to bring thugs and bandits into the state and maintained that the government would not allow a national facility such as the airport to be converted into a campaign ground.
The competing claims have increased calls for security agencies to distinguish genuine security concerns from restrictions capable of preventing lawful political activity.
Nigeria’s experience during the 2023 general elections has also become a reference point in discussions about what could happen if intimidation, ethnic rhetoric and political violence are not checked ahead of 2027.
The Centre for Democracy and Development, which deployed observers across the 36 states during the 2023 polls, recorded intimidation linked to identity or political affiliation in some polling units, with Lagos, Anambra and Imo featuring prominently.
On February 25, 2023, videos from Surulere, Lagos, showed young men overturning tables, removing ballot boxes marked “Presidential” and smashing them along Adedoyin Road.
Ballot papers were scattered, and INEC subsequently cancelled results in four polling units affecting 1,950 registered voters.
PDP House of Representatives candidate for Surulere Constituency I, Alani Jeje, popularly known as Bobby Jeje, alleged at the time that thugs moved from one polling unit to another beating voters.
Actress Chioma Akpotha also said she was attacked at her polling unit and that parts of her vehicle were damaged.
Ahead of the March 18 governorship election, a video of Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, also generated controversy after he was heard warning a woman identified as Iya Chukwudi: “If you don’t want to vote for us, stay at home.”
Police later urged Nigerians to treat the statement as a joke.
On election day, the European Union Election Observation Mission said at least 21 people were killed nationwide and identified Lagos as one of the states seriously affected by violence.
Reports of attacks, attempted ballot-box snatching and intimidation emerged from Oke-Afa, Okota, Ijagemo, Ojo, Eti-Osa, Fadeyi, Ajegunle, Ajah, Festac, Somolu and Berger.
The United States’ 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices also referred to threats against Igbo voters in Ojo and restrictions affecting non-Yoruba voters in Eti-Osa.
The US Mission said its observers witnessed voter intimidation in Lagos and expressed concern about ethnically charged rhetoric surrounding the governorship election.
Then Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, acknowledged that violence occurred but said it was not sufficiently widespread to alter the general dynamics of the election.
Voter turnout in Lagos, however, stood at about 16 per cent, while Labour Party governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour later described the 2023 experience as involving violence, intimidation and voter suppression.
The absence of major convictions arising from many of the incidents has continued to raise concerns about electoral accountability.
Against the backdrop of the emerging threats ahead of 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission says it has activated an early-warning framework through the Inter-Consultative Committee on Election Security to track political violence, thuggery and hate speech.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, warned political actors that electoral competition must not be allowed to result in loss of life.
“No political office in this country is worth the blood of a single Nigerian,” Amupitan said.
He added: “INEC will not stand by and allow political competition to devolve into violence.”
The commission also announced plans for joint financial-monitoring teams involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
INEC said more than 10.6 million new voters had been registered and 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices acquired.
However, the success of the early-warning system will depend on whether threats are detected early enough, security agencies act on credible intelligence and persons responsible for attacks are investigated and prosecuted regardless of political affiliation.
Monitoring alone may prove insufficient if warnings do not result in timely security deployments, protection for political gatherings and consequences for persons who organise or finance violence.
The implications extend beyond the conduct of elections.
Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, has warned that election-related insecurity could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and discourage foreign investment.
Speaking at Nigeria Reputation Day 2026, themed “Own the Narrative: Shaping Nigeria’s Reputation Together,” Badejo-Okusanya disclosed that a prospective international investor cancelled a planned visit following a travel advisory linked to concerns about the coming elections.
“We must have these elections in a peaceful atmosphere. If you don’t win today, you can win tomorrow. It is not winning at all costs that we must all do,” he said.
The warning underscores the wider consequences of political violence, which go beyond injuries, deaths and destruction of property to include declining public confidence, weakened institutions, reduced investment and questions over the legitimacy of elected governments.
As preparations for the 2027 elections intensify, the challenge before INEC, the police, security agencies, political parties and governments at all levels is to ensure that citizens can attend meetings and rallies without fear, opposition parties can campaign without intimidation, and allegations of violence are investigated impartially.
The experience of the 2023 elections demonstrates the consequences that can follow when threats, inflammatory rhetoric and attacks are allowed to escalate.
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