Kogi-West Kidnappings: Senate blames political sabotage ahead of 2027 elections

By Haruna Salami

The spate of kidnappings in Kogi West has attracted the attention of the Senate attributing political sabotage ahead of the 2027 national elections.

Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) raised the alarm during plenary on Wednesday when he informed the upper chamber that more than 30 people in his senatorial district were kidnapped within one week, suggesting these attacks may be part of a politically motivated campaign to destabilize the country ahead of the 2027 elections.

Karimi, who is chairman Senate Committee on Services, accused disgruntled actors, including possible collaborators within the security forces of orchestrating the violence to undermine the Tinubu administration.

“This is a deliberate attempt to create chaos, reminiscent of tactics used before the 2015 elections,” Karimi said, calling for urgent investigations.

He also expressed concern over the continued captivity of Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, a traditional ruler abducted on May 15.

Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) supported Karimi’s warnings, noting that violent clashes in Taraba, Bauchi, and Gombe signal a broader pattern of insecurity linked to political tensions.

Both senators urged stronger intelligence operations, reinforced security along vulnerable borders, and a thorough probe into possible insider involvement.

The Senate had earlier adopted a motion moved by Senator Isa Lau (Taraba North), which revealed that violent clashes between farmers and herders in Karim Lamido on May 23 had left dozens dead, 47 houses burnt, and more than 200 people displaced.

In response, the upper chamber urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to immediately dispatch relief materials to affected communities. Lawmakers also called on security agencies to fortify the porous boundaries between Taraba, Bauchi, and Plateau States, which they described as key infiltration points for armed groups.

Despite acknowledging the ongoing efforts by federal security agencies, both Karimi and Goje stressed that the current response was insufficient and lacked the urgency the situation demands.
“We need more than reactionary deployments,” Karimi said. “We need intelligence-led operations, the unmasking of collaborators, and the political will to hold even the untouchables accountable.”