Pandemonium broke out in Oregun, Lagos State, on Thursday after suspected political thugs armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones invaded a town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), forcing participants to flee before party supporters fought back.
The incident occurred at Classic Event Centre, Oregun, Ikeja, where supporters had gathered ahead of the arrival of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The attackers reportedly stormed the venue at about 11:00 a.m., disrupting the gathering and sending participants scampering for safety.
Eyewitnesses said the atmosphere had been peaceful, with supporters dressed in blue shirts and white fez caps singing and dancing in anticipation of the meeting, before the suspected thugs attempted to force their way into the main hall.
Some attendees initially fled as the attackers broke in. However, several young supporters resisted the invasion by throwing chairs at them.
The supporters later regrouped and chased the attackers out of the hall. One of the suspected thugs was caught at the car park and surrounded by angry party members, who assaulted him with sticks.
“Deal with him,” a voice was heard shouting in the background as the youths descended on the suspect.
The confrontation subsequently spilled onto Kudirat Abiola Way, a major road in the area, disrupting traffic as motorists made U-turns and pedestrians fled for safety.
Policemen fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd and prevent the situation from escalating.
Several vehicles were reportedly damaged during the violence.
A multimedia journalist with TheCable, Samuel Adebanjo, was also attacked, while his equipment was reportedly stolen by some of the assailants.
The apprehended suspect, who identified himself as Ibrahim, denied involvement in the attack, claiming that he had only visited the venue to beg for money.
The Lagos State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
However, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Lagos Command, ACP Ehindero Lawrence, later addressed NDC supporters at the venue and assured them of police protection.
The party’s supporters subsequently resumed their activities after security personnel restored calm.
The attack comes amid growing concerns over political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On November 4, Obi’s convoy was attacked near Watt Market in Calabar, Cross River State, while he was travelling to attend an NDC town hall meeting. The state police command subsequently announced the arrest of a 27-year-old suspect in connection with the incident.
Similarly, a rally organised in support of Obi’s presidential ambition in Asaba, Delta State, on November 7, turned violent, leaving one person dead and five others injured, according to the Delta State Police Command.
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) also raised concerns on November 10 over reported attacks and intimidation targeting opposition politicians and their supporters.
According to the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, citing a CLEEN Foundation election security assessment, 70 physical election-related incidents were recorded across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory between January 1 and October 27, resulting in 27 deaths.
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