2027: Security firm warns of violence, disruptions

Proton Security Services Limited has issued a nationwide advisory highlighting heightened risks typically associated with politically sensitive periods as the 2027 race begins.

The firm noted that election seasons in Nigeria have historically triggered surges in political tension, criminal opportunism, and coordinated disruptions to public order, with far-reaching consequences for economic activity, critical infrastructure, and public safety.

The Managing Director of Proton Security Services Limited, Mr Adekunmi Odebunmi, in a statement on Tuesday, said election cycles must be treated as high-risk national periods requiring deliberate and coordinated safeguards.

According to him, elections in Nigeria have evolved beyond routine civic exercises, becoming periods of systemic stress where vulnerabilities across security, infrastructure, and information systems are exposed and exploited.

He stressed that vigilance, preparedness, and shared responsibility remained critical to safeguarding lives, protecting assets, and preserving democratic integrity.

According to him, Proton’s security assessment identified a convergence of threats across different regions of the country, many of which tend to intensify during election periods.

These include insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central, secessionist tensions in the South-East, militancy in the Niger Delta, and rising urban crime in major cities.

The firm also raised concerns over increasing cybersecurity risks, including fraud, phishing attacks, and potential disruptions to telecommunications infrastructure, which could further strain critical national systems.

Citing historical precedents, the firm underscored the gravity of these risks.

The 2011 post-election violence resulted in over 800 deaths and widespread displacement, while the 2019 general elections recorded incidents such as ballot snatching, arson, and targeted attacks on electoral and public infrastructure.

It also referenced the #EndSARS protests as a recent example of how civil unrest can escalate rapidly nationwide, significantly disrupting transport networks, businesses, and communication systems.

Supporting its position with data, Proton noted that the European Union Election Observation Mission recorded at least 361 fatalities during the 2019 election cycle.

Mr Odebunmi further explained that risks span the entire electoral timeline, from pre-election mobilisation to post-election reactions, with each phase presenting distinct challenges.

He warned that early indicators such as rising tensions, misinformation, cyber threats, vandalism, and criminal opportunism were already emerging, stressing that Nigeria could not afford a reactive approach to election security.

According to him, prevention, coordination, and real-time intelligence would be decisive in determining whether the election cycle remained stable or became disruptive.

The firm also highlighted that critical sectors, including telecommunications, energy, transportation, and financial services, faced increased exposure during election cycles, with disruptions in these areas capable of triggering broader economic and operational instability.

It therefore called for integrated security operations, enhanced real-time intelligence systems, and robust business continuity planning to mitigate potential risks.

Proton further warned that urban centres, transport corridors, commercial districts, and educational institutions remained particularly vulnerable during such periods.

It urged organisations, institutions, and government agencies to adopt proactive security measures and emphasised that only through collaboration, awareness, and strategic preparedness could a peaceful and orderly electoral process be achieved.

The company concluded that with proactive planning, sustained investment in intelligence, and strong institutional coordination, the risks associated with election periods could be effectively managed, thereby safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic process and economic stability.