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Akpabio, Defence Minister Allege Politically Motivated Insecurity Ahead of 2027 Polls
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Defence Minister Christopher Musa have both alleged that Nigeria’s worsening security crisis is politically motivated, with actors sponsoring violence to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections. The claims have triggered intense debate across the political spectrum, as the nation grapples with escalating insecurity from the North-East to the South-West.
Akpabio: Insecurity Will End Two Weeks After 2027 Elections
Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) headquarters in Abuja, Senate President Godswill Akpabio asserted that the recent upsurge in insecurity is directly linked to the approaching 2027 elections. He declared that the violence would fizzle out within two weeks of the polls.
“You are seeing insecurity today. It is even increasing because elections are coming. As soon as the election is over, watch out for the first two weeks; you won’t hear any bomb blasts because people are sponsoring it to distract you,” Akpabio said, addressing President Tinubu directly.
He argued that the violence is a calculated effort by political opponents who are unsettled by the administration’s growing acceptance across party lines. Without naming specific individuals or parties, the Senate President insisted that some forces are uncomfortable with the growing political strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpabio further pointed to shifting political alignments, claiming that President Tinubu has consolidated influence among state governors. “He came in with less than 18 governors. Today, he has almost 32 governors under his fold out of 36,” Akpabio said, suggesting that this consolidation has heightened political tensions ahead of 2027.
Defence Minister Backs Narrative, Warns of Exploitation
The Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa (retd.), reinforced Akpabio’s position, stating in an interview on Arise TV that the recent surge in terrorist attacks in the North-East may be politically motivated and orchestrated by individuals seeking to portray the government as weak.
“Any time it’s a political year, it goes up. Individuals want to take advantage to make the government look weak or to show that they are still capable,” Musa said. “You don’t have to kill the people you want to govern. Why increase violence just to score cheap political points?”
The minister maintained that Nigeria is making steady progress in tackling insecurity and urged citizens to support ongoing military operations. He also noted that terrorist groups often exaggerate their impact to instil fear, with isolated attacks amplified to create the impression of widespread dominance.
A Nation Under Siege: The Broader Security Context
The claims by Akpabio and Musa come against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating security conditions across Nigeria. The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) revealed that more than 1,000 citizens have been abducted across the country since January 2026 alone.
“Since January 2026, more than 1,000 Nigerians have been abducted. This is not just a statistic, it is a reflection of a nation under severe strain,” CHRICED Executive Director Ibrahim Zikirullahi warned.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has gone further, declaring that Nigeria’s insecurity has escalated into a “state of war” and calling for a fundamental shift in national priorities. “The scale, persistence and human cost of the violence demand a fundamental shift in national priorities,” the forum stated, adding that the crisis should be treated as the country’s overriding emergency.
Recent incidents have compounded the anxiety. A Nigerian Air Force airstrike targeting Boko Haram insurgents hit the Jilli market in Yobe State, with reports of dozens of civilian casualties. The Defence Minister, however, defended the operation, insisting that those affected were not innocent civilians but individuals actively supporting insurgents. “There was no innocent person there. Anybody in that location knew what they were doing. They were there for business with terrorists,” Musa declared, describing the area as a logistics hub for insurgent operations.
The United States Department of State has also reacted, authorising the voluntary departure of non-essential embassy staff from Abuja and elevating 23 Nigerian states to a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” warning, the highest risk category.
Reactions: Opposition and Civil Society Push Back
The Senate President’s claims have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) warned that the value placed on human life is eroding amid persistent violence and governance failures. Accusing the Tinubu administration of failing to effectively contain insecurity, the SDP argued that fragmented strategies and weak implementation have allowed violence to persist.
CHRICED, in addition to its abduction figures, warned that Nigeria is increasingly becoming unsafe for citizens, with armed groups operating freely in several parts of the country despite ongoing security operations. The group called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, insisting that current strategies are no longer sufficient to address the scale of violence.
A coalition of more than 60 Women’s Rights Organisations has also decried the escalating violence, stating that “insecurity has become the daily reality of Nigerian citizens” and that leadership attention increasingly “prioritises politics over protection”.
Conclusion: A Nation at a Crossroads
As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 elections, the contrasting narratives from the government and its critics highlight a nation at a crossroads. While Akpabio and Musa urge citizens to view the crisis through a political lens and remain patient with ongoing reforms, opposition parties and civil society demand immediate, concrete action to protect lives and restore stability.
The ACF’s warning perhaps captures the urgency of the moment: “Extraordinary threats require extraordinary measures,” the forum stated, urging the government to temporarily suspend spending on non-essential projects and channel resources towards ending the security crisis. Whether the government heeds this call or continues to attribute the violence to political machinations remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that ordinary Nigerians continue to bear the heaviest cost of a crisis that shows no signs of abating.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more in-depth reporting on Nigeria’s security situation and political developments.
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