Many people were injured on Wednesday when suspected thugs attacked a town hall meeting organized by supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Oregun, Lagos.
The attackers, armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, stormed the Classic Event Place, venue of the meeting, while proceedings were ongoing. Participants were forced to flee as the meeting was disrupted.
VOICE AIR MEDIA gathered that no guns were used in the attack.
The meeting was convened to prepare for the official Lagos rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who were not expected at the venue. Ikeja Federal Constituency House of Representatives candidate for the party, Mr. Joseph Orukpe, confirmed the gathering was a preparatory meeting.
Sources said party supporters later reconvened and challenged the attackers, leading to a brawl that caused panic among residents. Most of the thugs escaped, but one suspect who identified himself as Ibrahim was apprehended, beaten and handed over to the police. He claimed he was at the venue to solicit money and was not sent by anyone. No weapon was found on him.
The NDC condemned the incident, describing it as an assault on democratic rights and freedom of political association. In a statement by the spokesperson of its National Campaign Council, Dr. Chiogo Constance Ikokwu, the party said some supporters were injured, demanded an immediate investigation, arrest and prosecution of those responsible, and warned that political violence could undermine participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“No political party or group has a monopoly on Nigeria, and no one has the right to use violence, intimidation or thuggery to silence opposing voices,” the statement said.
The party also, in a separate statement, challenged Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to respond with verifiable economic data to statistics cited by Obi on the country’s economic situation. It said petrol, which sold for N238.11 per litre in May 2023, now sells for between N1,300 and N1,435; a 50kg bag of rice from N35,000-N40,000 to N50,000-N90,000; a 50kg bag of cement from N4,010-N5,300 to N10,500-N15,000; and a loaf of bread from N500-N700 to N1,200-N2,000, while urban rents in Lagos and Abuja have risen by 80 to 120 per cent.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council also condemned the attack. Its spokesperson, Dele Alake, in a statement, said the council strongly condemns the disruption of the NDC meeting and the recent spate of violent attacks on political gatherings in Edo, Cross River, Gombe and other states.
“We call on the security agencies to be more responsive and alert in preventing political violence of any type and ensure instigators and perpetrators are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law,” Alake said.