A town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Oregun area of Lagos State was disrupted on Thursday after suspected thugs armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones invaded the venue, attacking party supporters and forcing participants to run for safety.
The incident occurred at Classic Event Place, Oregun, where supporters had gathered ahead of an engagement involving the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The atmosphere at the venue was reportedly peaceful before the attack, with supporters dressed in party colours singing, dancing and preparing for the commencement of the town hall meeting.
However, at about 11am, the suspected attackers reportedly approached the venue from the Kudirat Abiola Way axis and attempted to gain entry into the main hall.
The invasion triggered panic as participants scrambled to escape. Some NDC supporters initially resisted the attackers’ attempt to enter the hall, while chairs and other items were reportedly displaced during the ensuing confusion.
The confrontation reportedly escalated as some supporters fought back, using chairs, stones and wooden planks to repel the attackers. Videos circulating online showed supporters chasing some of the suspected assailants away from the venue, while one man believed to be among the attackers was apprehended by party members and assaulted.
The incident later spilled into the surrounding streets, including Kudirat Abiola Way, disrupting movement as motorists reportedly made U-turns or diverted to avoid the disturbance.
Footage from the scene also showed groups of NDC supporters gathering outside the venue after the attack. Some reportedly vowed to protect Obi ahead of his expected arrival and resist further attempts to disrupt the party’s activities.
The Independent Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) reported that a man apprehended by supporters denied being sponsored to attack the gathering, claiming that he had gone to the venue to beg for money.
As of the time of reporting, the identities and affiliations of the suspected attackers had not been independently established. The Lagos State Police Command had also not issued an official statement on the incident. The ICIR said it contacted the police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, but had not received a response before publication.
Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso had arrived at the venue when the attack occurred, according to reports.
The incident comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections and follows other reported disruptions involving gatherings linked to Obi and the NDC.
On November 4, Obi’s convoy was attacked near Watt Market in Calabar, Cross River State, while he was returning from a visit to the palace of the Obong of Calabar. The police subsequently announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with that incident.
Earlier, on November 7, violence disrupted an NDC supporters’ rally in Asaba, Delta State, leaving one person dead and several others injured, according to the state police command, which said an investigation had commenced.
The latest incident in Lagos has renewed concerns about the safety of political gatherings and the right of political parties and their supporters to organise meetings without intimidation or violence.
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