Report Reveals How Violence Was Contained In 2025 Anambra Governorship Election

By Joseph Sunday 

A new election monitoring report by Kimpact Development Initiative has revealed that violence during the 2025 Anambra State off-cycle governorship election was largely contained, despite security concerns that surrounded the build-up to the poll.

The report, titled Violence Contained: Key Lessons from the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election, analysed security trends before and during the election and found that while risks existed, major violent incidents were significantly limited on election day.

According to the organisation, its Nigeria Election Violence Education and Resolution (NEVER) project monitored the election through field observations, verified incident reports and structured polling-unit assessments across the state. The monitoring covered both the pre-election period and election-day activities.

Researchers noted that although the political environment in the state had earlier shown signs of tension, coordinated efforts by security agencies and election stakeholders helped prevent widespread violence during the voting process.

The report explained that early warning systems, increased security deployment and improved coordination among election officials played an important role in stabilising the electoral environment.

Study also observed that pockets of intimidation, security fears and isolated incidents were still reported in some communities, showing that the risk of electoral violence remains a challenge in Nigeria’s democratic process.

The organisation said the findings highlight the importance of sustained collaboration between security agencies, civil society organisations and electoral authorities in preventing violence during elections.

The report therefore called for stronger electoral security planning, early risk assessments and continued reforms to ensure that future elections in Nigeria remain peaceful and credible.