Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

A prominent Northern Nigerian group, under the aegis of the Arewa Discussion Group (ADG), has expressed profound shock and outrage over the recent spate of heinous attacks and mass killings targeting civilians across Northern Nigeria, saying it’s a ploy to subvert the 2027 general elections.

The spokesman for the Arewa Discussion Group, Dr. Garba Abari, while extending the group’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the communities devastated by these senseless acts of violence during the holy month of Ramadan, specifically condemned the recent
massacre of worshippers in Zamfara State and the coordinated terrorist attacks in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, resulting in the brutal murder of at least 50 civilians.

The group expressed dismay that the attack lasted over 10 hours, with armed men on motorcycles storming the village of Tungan Dutse, firing indiscriminately, burning houses, and abducting scores of women and children despite early warnings to security forces.

It added: “We abhorred the desecration of a mosque in Kebbi State on February 25, 2026 as the sanctity of the Ramadan period was violated when suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked a mosque in the Dadin Kowa community of Maiyama Local Government Area, Kebbi State. Worshippers were murdered in cold blood while observing their Tarawweeh prayers. At least five people were killed and several others injured in what police described as a reprisal attack.

“The return of bombings in Borno State: On March 16, 2026, the relative calm of Maiduguri was shattered by multiple coordinated explosions. At least 23 people were killed and over 100 injured in suspected suicide bombings that struck a hospital entrance, the Post Office area, and the Monday Market during the busy Iftar period. This represents one of the deadliest attacks in the city in recent years and a terrifying return of urban bombings.”

Aside from these high-profile attacks, the Arewa Discussion Group notes with grave concern the escalating violence and loss of lives and property across multiple states in Northern Nigeria. In Bauchi State, on March 1, 2026, armed bandits attacked Gwana community in Alkaleri Local Government Area, displacing 446 individuals from 73 households and leaving 55 people injured. The Alkaleri area has become a new hotbed of banditry, with communities like Digare, Kargo, Yelo, and Mansur witnessing repeated attacks, deaths, and abductions .

“On Benue State, the House of Representatives has raised the alarm over continued killings in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency. On February 3, 2026, attackers invaded Abande and Anwase communities, killing at least 17 people. Another deadly assault on March 5, 2026, claimed 16 lives in Mbaav and Mbachoon communities. On March 13, 2026, suspected armed herdsmen attacked Ojatele community in Apa Local Government Area, killing at least 15 people and leaving many others injured or missing.

“In Plateau State, on March 13, 2026, heavily armed terrorists ambushed a patrol team in the Garga area of Kanam Local Government Area, killing approximately 20 security personnel, including soldiers and vigilantes. This represents one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in the region in recent times . Communities across Wase and Kanam LGAs have suffered repeated attacks throughout January, February, and March 2026.

“In Kwara State, recall that the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has raised concern over worsening kidnappings across Kwara South Senatorial District. On March 11, 2026, suspected kidnappers killed an ECWA member, Omoniyi Ajise, in Oyatedo-Oro-Ago, Ifelodun LGA, and abducted his wife along with four other residents. Many farmers have abandoned their farms for fear of attacks, and several ECWA churches have been forced to close in affected communities . Meanwhile, on March 15, 2026, troops arrested three suspected terrorist logistics suppliers in Kaiama LGA who were planning to supply motorcycles to ISWAP/Boko Haram operatives.

“In Niger State, also recall that Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago has disclosed that over 300,000 persons have been displaced across 10 local government areas due to persistent insecurity . On February 28, 2026, terrorists killed at least 15 farmers in three separate attacks in the Malale axis of Borgu LGA.

“In other affected States, thousands of villagers have been displaced in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Adamawa states. In Adamawa, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked Shuwari community in Madagali LGA in February 2026, killing 17 people and burning homes. In Sokoto, at least 28 villages in the Tidibale area of Isa LGA were deserted in January 2026 following threats from bandits.”

The Arewa Discussion Group has, therefore, expressed grave concern that the Northern Region is now under systematic siege by criminal non-state actors who operate with impunity, eroding the very fabric of state authority and threatening the survival of Northern communities.

Across Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Sokoto states, the group noted with grave concern that state governments have been forced into negotiating peace deals with armed bandit groups, a controversial experiment that signals the weakening of state authority, adding that these negotiations, while offering temporary respite, risk legitimizing non-state actors who have built their power on extortion, violence, and impunity. “When violence becomes a means of extracting concessions from the state, criminal networks are emboldened, and new groups emerge to exploit the same logic,” it added.

The ADG decried that armed groups now control vast swaths of territory across the North, such as Bauchi Plateau and Taraba States,where several communities have been completely deserted, while bandits now move freely at operate with impunity.

Due to massive displacements of people from their communities by the bandits and kidnappers, the group said humanitarian toll has now become sobstaggering, adding that in Niger State alone, over 500,000 internally displaced persons are scattered across Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kaduna States, the FCT, and even the Benin Republic.

The group added: “These people were forced from their ancestral homes by the bandits hiding in the Kainji Lake National Park forest. These bandits are not mere criminals; they are architects of ethnic cleansing, driving entire communities from ancestral lands.

“In Kwara South, farmers have abandoned their farms at the peak of cashew harvesting season, their primary source of livelihood, for fear of attacks. Economic activities have been severely disrupted, and families pushed into hardship . This is a calculated strategy by non-state actors to starve communities into submission.

“The desecration of mosques during Tarawweeh prayers in Kebbi State and the murder of worshippers in cold blood represents an unprecedented assault on the spiritual heart of our communities. When criminals attack people at prayer, they declare war not just on the state, but on God Himself.

“The ambush in Plateau State that claimed 20 security personnel including soldiers and vigilantes demonstrates that these non-state actors now possess the firepower and tactical capability to confront and defeat uniformed forces . When terrorists can kill 20 security operatives in a single engagement, the state’s monopoly on force has been fundamentally breached.

“These criminal networks operate across state lines with impunity, shifting operations when pressure mounts in one area. They coordinate attacks, share intelligence, and maintain supply chains for weapons and motorcycles. They are not disorganized bandits; they are a parallel governance structure that has emerged to fill the vacuum left by the retreating state.”

The Arewa Discussion Group has, therefore, warned that “we are witnessing the slow-motion collapse of state authority in parts of northern Nigeria. Criminal non-state actors now tax communities, control forests, displace populations, dictate who can farm and who cannot, and kill with near-total impunity. This is the very definition of a region under siege.

“The Arewa Discussion Group views with grave concern the timing and coordination of these attacks spreading across virtually every corner of Northern Nigeria. We believe desperate elements are deliberately trying to undermine our already tenuous security situation ahead of the upcoming elections so that anti-democratic forces can capitalize on the chaos and subvert the people’s will. We must not allow them to succeed.

“These attacks are occurring against a backdrop of growing concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. Civil society organizations have repeatedly warned of attempts to manipulate the system.

“The Arewa Discussion Group warns that the current wave of violence spreading across the North fits a disturbing pattern: creating an atmosphere of fear and instability that can be exploited to justify extraordinary measures, suppress voter turnout, and ultimately rob the Nigerian people of their democratic rights.”

The ADG has, therefore, called on the Federal Government to
immediately deploy enhanced security measures to protect vulnerable communities across all affected states and prevent further atrocities, ensure swift and transparent investigations to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, and determine whether there is any political linkage to the attacks, dismantle criminal enclaves in the forests and border areas, and end the practice of negotiating with armed bandits from a position of weakness.

It added: “The Federal Government should provide urgent humanitarian assistance and support to the survivors, the injured, the abducted, and the hundreds of thousands of displaced families across the region.

“Safeguard the integrity of the 2027 electoral process by resisting any attempts to manipulate the security situation for political gain and ensuring that all elections are free, fair, and credible.

“The Arewa Discussion Group stands in solidarity with the people of Nigeria during this difficult time. We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and to resist any forces that seek to undermine our democracy through violence and intimidation. We urge the international community to closely monitor Nigeria’s security and electoral situation and to support efforts to restore peace and democratic integrity.”