The Senator for Kogi West district, Sunday Karimi has attributed the escalating insecurity in several parts of the country to the 2027 general elections, despite recent responses by the security forces to insurgency and terrorism in parts of the country.
Last Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the 2027 general elections will begin with the presidential and National Assembly elections on 20 February of that year while the governorship and state assemblies’ polls will take place on 6 March.
A section of the political class has, however, raised observations about the clash between the electoral calendar and the Ramadan fast, which will take place between 7 February and 8 March 2027. INEC said that it is considering an approach to the National Assembly for guidance if shifts in the scheduled dates outside of the statutory provisions become imperative.
Security operations are proceeding simultaneously in Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Taraba States where the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu has deployed special battalions. Nonetheless, kidnappers, murderers and terrorists continue to fester in parts of the country, leaving trails of anguish, blood and devastation.
Despite these concurrent security operations, a terrorist group in Kwara State at the weekend paraded about 200 captives from a recent vicious attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area in the northern section of the state. In response to written threats by terrorist groups, residents of parts of Kwara South senatorial district are migrating from their homes and farmlands.
In a statement at the weekend, Karimi said that certain interests and tendencies are resolved to continue to make the country ungovernable with the ultimate aim of disrupting the forthcoming general elections.
He further said: ‘The correlation is all too glaring. Against all odds, President Bola Tinubu has continued to record landmark successes across sectors. The economy is on the rebound, prices of products are lowering, government is paying university dons 40% more than they previously earned, foreign reserves in less than than three years are nestling close to $50 billion, and the Naira has dropped below N1,400 to the dollar. Despite these heartwarming developments, certain perverts remain averse to the gradual resurgence of the socioeconomy’.
Karimi, who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Senate Services, noted that the Tinubu administration has welcomed foreign collaboration in addressing the security challenges, alluding to the Christmas day intelligence-led bombing of parts of Sokoto State by the United States military.
Detachments of US troops have also set boot on Nigerian soil, to bolster the training and intelligence-gathering capabilities of the nation’s military. The President also recently paid a state visit to Türkiye during which military cooperation was one of the highpoints of engagements with his host, President Tayyip Erdogan. There are also preexisting military operations with neighbouring countries, namely Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin Republic, to rout undesirable elements.
Karimi expressed the hope that the recent reorganisation of the nation’s military apparachik by the President and the continous rejigging of operational strategies will yield fruit sooner than later. He said: ‘It is reassuring that the Minister for Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.) has hinted about possible recourse to our abundant pool of retired military personnel to secure ungoverned spaces across the country. These initiatives will complement the subsisting deployment of forest guards in parts of the country, another initiative of the Tinubu administration. Mr. President has also approved the recruitment of 50,000 police constables to improve the personnel strength of the Nigeria Police Force, all in response to the nation’s security realities’.
The senator assured that the National Assembly would continue to support the President in his commitment to deliver good governance, tangible dividends of democracy and the quality and credibility of election in 2027, which Nigerians will be proud of.
He said: ‘Our country will overcome these challenges. Our rebound within the past 32 months has been applauded by the World Bank at the level of the Managing Director for Operations, Anna Bjerde, who commended the nation’s economic reforms as a global example of consistent and credible leadership. When a nation like Nigeria which provides the oxygen for growth in the subregion is getting it right, antagonists are not farfetched. Nigerians should rest assured by the President’s reassurance at the recent National Economic Council meeting, that we shall overcome terrorism and insecurity’.
