By Our Correspondent

National News – Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has revealed that no fewer than 1,639 Nigerians were killed in electoral violence between 1999 and 2023, warning politicians against turning elections into deadly battles ahead of the 2027 general polls.

Bamidele made the statement on Wednesday in his Eid-el-Kabir message, where he urged political parties, candidates, and supporters to embrace peace and lawful conduct during campaigns and elections across Nigeria.

According to the Ekiti senator, the figures were obtained from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, which documented deaths linked to election-related violence over the last 24 years.

He explained that 80 people died in 1999, 100 in 2003, 300 in 2007, 800 in 2011, 100 in 2015, 150 in 2019, and 109 in 2023, describing the trend as a painful national tragedy that must stop immediately.

Bamidele stressed that no Nigerian should lose their life because of political ambition or desperate attempts to secure public office.

He warned political actors against inciting violence before, during, and after elections.

The Senate leader also spoke about the worsening security situation in parts of the country, calling for prayers and support for victims of kidnapping and banditry, especially the 87 teachers and children abducted recently in Borno and Oyo states.

He noted that most political parties had concluded their primaries, making it necessary for stakeholders to learn from past electoral crises and avoid actions capable of destabilising the country before the 2027 elections.

Bamidele further urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of sacrifice, faith, obedience, and peaceful coexistence associated with Eid-el-Kabir, adding that Nigeria’s democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of unity and respect for the law.