Stakeholders in Zamfara State have called for stronger security measures ahead of the 2027 elections, identifying banditry, kidnapping, political violence and inadequate security deployment as major threats to peaceful polls.
The stakeholders made the call during a two-day citizens’ engagement on election security facilitated by the CLEEN Foundation with support from the Open Society Foundation.
The engagement brought together representatives of security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, women and youth groups, and the media.
The participants identified Tsafe, Zurmi, Maru, Anka, Bukkuyum, Shinkafi and Birnin Magaji as areas requiring particular attention in election security planning due to existing security challenges. Gusau, Kaura Namoda and Talata Mafara were also identified as areas requiring enhanced preparedness.
Other threats identified included election-related violence, political thuggery, voter intimidation, vote buying and selling, ballot snatching, misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.
The stakeholders also cited weak early-warning and early-response systems, inadequate information-sharing, limited logistics in hard-to-reach areas, drug abuse among youths, low civic awareness, poverty and unemployment as factors that could undermine election security.
They called for timely deployment of adequate security personnel to high-risk and hard-to-reach areas, as well as coordinated action to prevent armed groups from controlling communities and curb the circulation of small arms.
The participants also demanded firm action against electoral malpractice, including vote buying, vote selling and ballot snatching, while calling for measures to protect women, youths, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons from intimidation and voter suppression.
They further called for stronger community-based early-warning and early-response mechanisms, accessible channels for reporting threats, and measures to tackle misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.
The demands were contained in an Election Security Risk Assessment and Citizens’ Charter of Demand, which the stakeholders said should be implemented and monitored by relevant authorities ahead of the 2027 elections.
2027: Zamfara stakeholders demand stronger security measures