THE CENTRE for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) says election-related incidents increased in October, despite a decline in overall security incidents across Nigeria.
The CDD disclosed this in its October 2026 Nigeria Election Security Tracker, released on Tuesday in Abuja.
The report covered security developments between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31.
It said overall security incidents declined by 22.07 per cent, from 222 in September to 173 in October.
ALSO READ: SOS: A Mother’s Only Child And Her Desperate Plea For Help!
However, reported deaths increased by 61.62 per cent, from 396 in September to 640 in October, with broader insecurity accounting for 638 fatalities.
The report attributed the rising fatalities to attacks on communities, farms and roads, particularly in the North-East, which recorded 409 deaths.
It said election-related incidents increased from 14 in September to 16 in October, representing a 14.29 per cent rise.
The report identified attacks on campaign gatherings, convoys and political property, as well as restrictions on supporters’ participation in political activities.
According to the report, two people died in attacks involving Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) campaigns in Enugu and Ebonyi.
It said Ifeanyi Nwolie was killed during the NDC campaign launch in Enugu on Oct. 10.
Another person was killed when gunmen attacked the convoy of Rollins Offia-Nwali in Ebonyi on Oct. 22, while three others sustained injuries.
The report identified the North-West and North-Central as recording 110 incidents, representing 63.58 per cent of nationwide incidents.
It added that Plateau recorded the highest number of incidents among four focal states, with 24, followed by Katsina with 12.
The tracker also recorded 75 misinformation, disinformation and hate speech narratives in October, representing a 28.57 per cent decline from 105 in September.
Of the narratives, 37 were false, 31 misleading, two involved religious threats and hostility, while five lacked sufficient evidence for verification.
It said false campaign claims, manipulated images, fabricated electoral notices and misleading security information continued circulating, potentially undermining public confidence.
The CDD urged security agencies to protect political activities, investigate attacks, support displaced voters and strengthen access to credible electoral information ahead of the 2027 elections. (NAN)
