2027: Fears of political violence rise as thugs attack Malami’s convoy in Kebbi, days after Kaduna incident

Concerns over Nigeria’s 2027 general elections deepened on Monday following another outbreak of political violence, this time in Kebbi State, where armed thugs attacked the convoy of former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

The incident, which occurred in Birnin Kebbi, left about 10 vehicles badly damaged, while several of Malami’s supporters sustained injuries. The attack comes barely days after a political event organised by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was disrupted by suspected political thugs in Kaduna.

One of the vehicles attacked

Both Malami and El-Rufai are leading figures in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raising fears of a coordinated attempt to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the next general election.

Speaking after the attack, Malami alleged that the violence was orchestrated by elements loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

“It’s a painful act clearly linked to politics. Some thugs came out from the APC state headquarters armed with dangerous weapons and stones, attacking and destroying our convoy,” the former Attorney-General said.

Malami, who served as AGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari, maintained that his visit to Birnin Kebbi was not politically motivated, describing the assault as an unprovoked attack meant to intimidate him and his supporters.

“The truth is, when it comes to politics in Kebbi State, there is no retreat, no surrender,” he declared, warning that political thuggery was capable of destabilising the state if not addressed.

Monday’s attack comes just days after a political gathering of ADC members in Kaduna ended in chaos when suspected thugs disrupted the meeting organised by El-Rufai. The former governor, who joined the ADC after falling out with the APC leadership, had convened the event to consolidate the party’s structure ahead of 2027.

Videos from the Kaduna incident, which went viral on social media over the weekend, showed chairs being thrown and participants scampering for safety as violence broke out. While no fatalities were reported, several people were injured, and vehicles were vandalised.

The back-to-back attacks on prominent ADC figures have raised alarm bells among analysts and civil society groups, who warn that the trend could spiral out of control if security agencies fail to act decisively.

Veteran journalist and public affairs analyst Chris Kehinde Nwandu was among those who sounded the alarm over the disturbing pattern of political attacks.

“2027 may be bloody if this is not nipped in the bud,” Nwandu wrote on his verified social media page, recalling that he had raised similar concerns during a recent television programme.

“During my discussion on Journalists’ Hangout on Sunday, I raised my concern about the rising cases of violence, with the attack on Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s ADC members in Kaduna. Yesterday it was another attack on the convoy of former AGF Abubakar Malami in Kebbi State. Is this a test of what to expect in 2027? God help us,” he warned.

Political observers say these incidents point to a dangerous build-up of hostilities ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested election. With the ADC positioning itself as an alternative to the APC and PDP, analysts believe its growing influence may be unsettling the ruling establishment in some states.

Reacting to the allegations, the APC’s Kebbi State Publicity Secretary, Isa Assalafy, distanced the party from the attack, insisting that the ruling party had no reason to resort to violence.

“Kebbi is a peaceful state. No government that enjoys massive support from the people and is confident of victory in 2027 would want the peace of the state to be disrupted,” Assalafy said.

He condemned the incident as “unacceptable” but claimed that the confrontation escalated because security operatives attached to Malami’s convoy opened fire during the melee.

While police authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the attack, residents in Birnin Kebbi have called for tighter security measures as political activities intensify ahead of the elections.