Surge in Political Violence Ahead of Nigeria's 2027 Elections

Ahead of Nigeria's presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, political violence has escalated, with incidents reported in at least seven states over the past week. The latest violence occurred in Lagos, where supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) were injured when suspected political thugs disrupted a town hall meeting for presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Other states experiencing violence include Zamfara, Edo, Delta, Gombe, and Cross River. The National Peace Committee reported 109 breaches of the National Peace Accord from August 19 to October 27, with political violence and thuggery leading the violations.

The European Union expressed concern over election-related violence and intimidation, which threaten democratic participation. Witnesses described the attackers in Lagos arriving in commercial buses, armed and aggressive, forcing attendees to flee.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) denied involvement in the attacks, and one injured supporter, Olamilekan Olayiwola, sustained a hand injury.