2027 Elections: Ejiofor warns politicians against arming thugs for political gains

Human rights lawyer and social commentator Ifeanyi Ejiofor has warned Nigerian politicians against recruiting and arming thugs to intimidate political opponents, saying such groups could eventually become security threats to their sponsors and the wider society.

Ejiofor issued the warning in his weekend commentary titled “The Monsters You Create for Political Power Today May Become the Terrorists Who Haunt You and Your Generations Tomorrow,” as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He cautioned that politicians who use violence to gain electoral advantage risk creating criminal networks that may become difficult to control once their immediate political objectives have been achieved.

According to Ejiofor, young people recruited to intimidate opponents could eventually turn to independent criminal activities, particularly when violence becomes a source of income and access to weapons provides opportunities beyond political assignments.

He argued that political sponsors should not assume that individuals recruited for electoral violence would remain loyal or surrender their weapons after elections.

The lawyer also warned that the consequences of political violence could extend beyond its immediate sponsors to their families, communities and the country at large.

Ejiofor called on security agencies, intelligence services and electoral authorities to investigate credible threats of political violence promptly and impartially.

He urged authorities to ensure that individuals who finance, arm, recruit or direct criminal groups are held accountable under the law, regardless of their political connections or affiliations.

He further cautioned against selective enforcement, arguing that failure to act on credible intelligence because suspected perpetrators have political influence could undermine public confidence in security institutions and increase the risk of instability.

The lawyer said national security responsibilities must take precedence over partisan interests, adding that no political ambition should justify the loss of innocent lives or the intimidation of voters.

He also urged politicians to recognise that elections and political offices are temporary, while the consequences of insecurity could persist for generations.

“Those who sow violence to harvest political power may yet reap a harvest of terror,” he warned.

Ejiofor called on political leaders to reject violence and allow democratic competition to be determined by voters rather than intimidation, threats or the use of armed groups.

He said Nigeria must learn from the consequences of tolerating violence for political convenience and take preventive action before the 2027 elections.