The Arewa Youth Assembly has urged opposition politicians to refrain from exploiting Nigeria's security challenges for political gain, particularly as the 2027 general elections approach. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the group's Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, warned that a recurring pattern of heightened insecurity had emerged in previous election cycles. He cited analysis of the last three elections, noting a consistent surge in kidnappings, banditry, and coordinated arson. While acknowledging ongoing security issues, the group affirmed that security agencies were actively responding. Danlami commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and service chiefs, particularly Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede and Chief of Army Staff General Waidi Shaibu, for their leadership. He called for national unity and collective responsibility in tackling insecurity, stressing that progress was being made despite challenges.
Mohammed Salihu Danlami's statement does not merely address insecurity—it reveals a calculated effort by a northern youth group to shield the current security architecture from political scrutiny ahead of 2027. By framing criticism of security failures as electioneering tactics, the Arewa Youth Assembly is effectively delegitimising dissent while elevating the image of key military figures like General Oluyede and General Shaibu. This is less about national unity and more about shaping public perception during a fragile political window.
The group's reference to a repeating cycle of violence in election years is telling. It implicitly acknowledges that insecurity spikes are not random but tied to broader governance rhythms—yet stops short of questioning state capacity or accountability. Instead, praise is directed at individuals, reinforcing a personality-driven narrative around security. This deflects from systemic issues such as intelligence gaps, community policing failures, or the military's resource constraints.
Ordinary Nigerians in the Northwest and North-Central, who face daily threats of abduction and violence, gain little from such political messaging. Their lived reality is not shaped by election cycles alone but by years of underdevelopment, eroded trust in security forces, and inconsistent government presence. When youth groups align too closely with incumbent security narratives, it risks silencing genuine grassroots demands for reform.
This fits a longer trend: the merging of regional youth platforms with state security narratives to pre-empt opposition critique. It is not new, but its timing—two years before elections—suggests a growing playbook for managing perception over delivering structural change.
