Kogi Senator Decries Growing Insurgency, Says Violence Targeted at 2027 Polls

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Senator Representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sunday Karimi, has disclosed that the increase in insurgency and banditry despite the federal government’s proactive measures, are targeted at disrupting the 2027 general elections in the country.

This was contained in a statement signed by Busayo Tosin, the Media Officer to Karimi,  Chairman, Senate Committee on Services, a copy of which was made available to journalists at the weekend.

Karimi explained that despite recent responses by the nation’s security forces to instances of insurgency and terrorism in parts of the country, the unabating trend is not unrelated to the 2027 general elections.

He pointed out that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), last week, released the timetable for the forthcoming full-cycle polls. While the presidential and national assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday February 20, 2027, governorship and state assembly polls will be held two weeks later on Saturday March 6, 2027.

“A section of the political class has raised observations about the collision between the electoral calendar as announced, and the Muslim Ramadan fast which will take place between February 7 and March 8, 2027. INEC is considering an approach to the parliament 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 President Bola Tinubu through the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-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 northern Kwara State.

“ In response to written threats by terrorist groups, residents of parts of Kwara South are migrating from their homes and farmlands,” he stated.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Services noted that there is a nexus between the forthcoming general polls and the unabating insecurity in the country, stressing 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 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 per cent more than they previously earned; foreign reserves in less than three years are nestling close to $50 billion; the naira has dropped below N1400 to the dollar. Despite these heartwarming developments, certain perverts remain averse to the gradual resurgence of the socio economy.”

Karimi expressed the hope that the recent reorganisation of the nation’s military apparatchik by the President and the continued rejigging of operational strategies will yield fruit sooner than later.

“It is reassuring that the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa 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,” Karimi observed.

He assured that the National Assembly will 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, expressing the hope that the 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 (NEC) meeting, that we shall overcome terrorism and insecurity,” the statement added.