Arewa Group Alleges Plot To Subvert 2027 Elections

Leaders of the Arewa Discussion Group (ADG) have condemned the recent spate of attacks and mass killings targeting civilians across northern Nigeria.

The group said the wave of violence being unleashed on the people might eventually subvert the 2027 general elections.

It specifically condemned the massacre of worshippers in Zamfara State on February 20-21, 2026, the desecration of a mosque in Kebbi State on February 25, 2026 and the return of bombings in Borno State on March 16, 2026.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dr Garba Abari, the group extended its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the communities devastated by the “senseless acts of violence” during the holy month of Ramadan.

Abari said, “Beyond these high-profile attacks, the Arewa Discussion Group notes with grave concern the escalating violence and loss of life and property across multiple states in northern Nigeria:

“The Arewa Discussion Group asserts with full conviction 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 our communities.

“Armed groups now control vast swaths of territory across the North. In Bauchi State, communities such as Digare, Kargo, Yelo, Ruga, Futuk, Bunga and Mansur have been completely deserted, their occupants forcibly displaced by bandits who move freely across borders with Plateau and Taraba States. The Dajin Mada Forest serves as a sanctuary for these criminals, from where they launch daily raids on helpless communities.

“The humanitarian toll is staggering. 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—forced from their homes by bandits hiding in the Kainji Lake National Park Forest. These are not mere criminals; they are architects of ethnic cleansing, driving entire communities from ancestral lands.

“The Arewa Discussion Group warns 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,” Abari said.