LAGOS — Suspected political thugs armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones on Thursday invaded a town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos State, attacking supporters, damaging vehicles and forcing participants to flee for safety.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. at Classique Event Centre (also referred to as Classique Events Place) along Kudirat Abiola Way, as supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, gathered in preparation for the engagement. Lagos State governorship candidate Funso Doherty and deputy governorship candidate Tolani Animashaun were also expected.
Eyewitnesses and reporters at the scene said the atmosphere had been peaceful earlier, with NDC supporters dancing and singing while awaiting the start of the meeting. The hoodlums approached from Kudirat Abiola Road, with some overheard speaking in Yoruba and suggesting the supporters were few enough to be overpowered. Some reportedly sought permission from superiors to use guns.
The attackers attempted to enter the main hall but were initially resisted by NDC members. Chaos ensued as the thugs invaded the venue, leading to confrontations in which chairs and furniture were overturned. Violence spilled into the compound and onto the adjoining road. Motorists on Kudirat Abiola Way made U-turns or took detours, while pedestrians fled. Several vehicles belonging to party supporters had their windscreens smashed, and shattered glass littered the floor of the venue. Some participants sustained injuries, including head wounds.
NDC supporters eventually rallied, repelled the attackers and chased them from the premises. One suspect was apprehended at the scene, beaten by some participants according to reports, and later handed over to security personnel. In one account, the detained man, identified as Ibrahim, denied involvement in the violence or carrying a machete, claiming he had only come to ask for money because high-profile figures were expected.
Police and security operatives later arrived to restore order. After the situation stabilised, NDC supporters were seen defiantly raising the party’s blue flags, dancing and singing as they continued to await the arrival of their candidates. Funso Doherty confirmed he was informed of the disruption and headed to the venue to assess the damage.
Joseph Orukpe, an NDC House of Assembly candidate for Ikeja Federal Constituency, said the thugs were armed with cutlasses, guns and other dangerous weapons, and that they destroyed vehicles and party merchandise. Party members said they stood up to defend themselves. Some NDC figures and supporters alleged the attackers were linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with one account putting their number at more than 70; the identities and affiliations of the attackers had not been independently confirmed, and the Lagos State Police Command had not issued an official statement at the time of early reports.
Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso had arrived when the attack occurred. The incident forms part of a series of reported disruptions and attacks on NDC activities and Obi’s engagements in different parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, including previous incidents in Cross River, Delta, Enugu and Benue states. The APC has previously denied involvement in such events.
In the 2023 presidential election, Obi, then of the Labour Party, won Lagos State with 582,354 votes in what is traditionally an APC stronghold. The NDC town hall was part of the party’s mobilisation efforts in the commercial capital ahead of the 2027 polls, scheduled for January (presidential and National Assembly) and February (governorship and state assembly).
The attack has raised fresh concerns about political violence and the safety of opposition campaign activities as the election season intensifies.
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