Senators link rising insecurity to political motives ahead of 2027 elections

Nigerian senators have raised serious concerns that the recent spike in Boko Haram activity and armed banditry across the northern parts of the country may be politically motivated, with the 2027 general elections looming.

The alarm was sounded during plenary on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, following a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau (PDP, Taraba North), addressing the increasing attacks across various communities in northern Nigeria.

Senators Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) and Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) suggested that the disturbing resurgence in violence mirrors patterns seen ahead of the 2015 general elections.

They issued a stern warning that some politically motivated actors could be fueling insecurity to destabilize the country for electoral advantage.

Senator Karimi urged President Bola Tinubu and the Senate’s newly formed National Security Committee to investigate thoroughly. “These attacks may not be random. They may be politically coordinated attempts by those losing relevance to trigger chaos and reclaim power by force,” he asserted.

Supporting the motion, Senator Goje warned that the crisis is spreading rapidly across the North. “From Karim Lamido to Bauchi’s Alkaleri, we are seeing a troubling trend.

We need to determine whether this surge in violence is tied to the 2027 political build-up. We must act swiftly and decisively,” he urged his colleagues.

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio decried the brutal killing of over 70 civilians in a single recent attack, stating, “Such tragedies must never happen again. I urge security agencies to increase deployments, strengthen surveillance, and adopt proactive strategies.”

Following the debate, the Senate resolved to:

• Urge security agencies to significantly increase patrols and surveillance, particularly in border areas between Taraba, Plateau, and Bauchi States, which have been flashpoints for these attacks.
• Call on state and local governments to take more active and direct roles in securing their respective communities, emphasizing community-based intelligence gathering.
• Direct the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to urgently provide relief materials and humanitarian assistance to displaced and affected populations in the impacted areas.

A minute of silence was observed in memory of those killed in the recent attacks, underscoring the gravity of the situation.