The National Peace Committee (NPC) has identified several areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as potential security hotspots ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026. The committee has urged security agencies to prioritize these locations to ensure a credible and violence-free electoral process.
The warning was issued during a courtesy visit by the NPC delegation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The committee highlighted Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Gwagwalada, Bwari, and Kuje as requiring focused security attention.
According to Asabe Ndahi, NPC Project Manager, the FCT poll is considered a critical precursor to the 2027 general elections. “The FCT elections will be a mirror through which Nigerians will begin to picture the 2027 general election,” she stated, underscoring the necessity of addressing emerging risks proactively.
The NPC’s analysis is based on election security data gathered since June 2024 through the Kukah Centre. Its framework monitors two key areas: incidents of election-related violence that may occur before Election Day but could disrupt the process, and an electoral offences tracking system aligned with the National Peace Accord, the Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
Specific vulnerabilities were outlined for each area. AMAC was flagged as a major flashpoint due to alleged threats among candidates and a high propensity for vote buying. Gwagwalada was noted for indigene-settler tensions and a history of political thuggery, particularly in the Jiwa community, alongside ongoing inter- and intra-party crises. Bwari Area Council was described as sensitive due to persistent farmer-herder conflicts, kidnapping incidents, and areas with limited security presence. Candidate legitimacy disputes, including court rulings, could further inflame political tensions there.
Kuje and Kwali Area Councils were also deemed vulnerable, primarily because of their proximity to Kaduna and Niger States, where wider security challenges might spill over. Kwali, the largest council, has recorded repeated security incidents in some communities, including kidnapping cases and sparse visible security deployment.
The NPC confirmed it will share its full contextual analysis with INEC to support preventive measures. The committee emphasized that intelligence-led security deployment and proactive stakeholder engagement are essential to safeguard the electoral process. INEC’s Directorate of Monitoring and Planning is reportedly finalizing its own security assessment, which the NPC hopes to access to coordinate efforts.
The successful conduct of the 2026 FCT Area Council elections is widely seen as a foundational test for national electoral integrity, with security planning now a paramount concern for all stakeholders.
