A town hall meeting organised by supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos descended into chaos on Thursday after armed thugs stormed the venue in Oregun, disrupting proceedings and sending participants fleeing for safety.
The attackers, reportedly armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, invaded the gathering around 11am, turning what had been a peaceful political event into a scene of panic.
Before the violence erupted, supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had gathered at the venue, singing and dancing ahead of the commencement of the town hall meeting.
The atmosphere changed dramatically when the hoodlums arrived and attempted to force their way into the main hall. NDC supporters initially resisted their entry, but the confrontation quickly escalated, throwing the gathering into confusion.
More troublingly, some of the attackers were reportedly heard asking their superiors for permission to storm the venue with firearms.
The threat added to the tension as the situation deteriorated. Participants scrambled to escape, while motorists travelling along Kudirat Abiola Way made U-turns or diverted to avoid the unfolding violence. Pedestrians also ran for safety as the area descended into pandemonium.
The attack comes against the backdrop of Peter Obi’s political strength in Lagos during the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, who contested under the Labour Party (LP) at the time, polled 582,354 votes in Lagos, defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a state widely regarded as one of the ruling party’s strongest political bases.
For the next presidential election, Obi is the presidential candidate of the NDC, with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State, as his running mate.
The town hall meeting was part of the political activities bringing supporters of the two politicians together ahead of the next electoral contest.
Thursday’s attack raises fresh concerns about the safety of political gatherings in Lagos, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
