There was pandemonium on Thursday after suspected thugs armed with cudgels and cutlasses invaded a town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Oregun, Lagos State, forcing participants to flee before some party supporters fought back and chased the attackers from the venue.
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The incident occurred at Classic Event Place, Oregun, where the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, were expected to address the gathering.
Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso had arrived at the venue at the time of the attack.
The planned town hall meeting was subsequently put on hold as security concerns persisted at the venue, with supporters beginning to leave while efforts were made to restore order. One suspected attacker was apprehended, while several vehicles were damaged during the violence.
Video footage from the scene showed individuals armed with sticks and other objects entering the hall, triggering panic among those already seated for the programme.
Some participants scrambled towards the exits as chairs and other furniture were overturned in the confusion.
The situation, however, changed when some young men inside the hall began throwing chairs at the suspected attackers.
Some NDC supporters dressed in blue shirts and white fez caps subsequently chased the intruders out of the hall.
One of the suspected attackers was caught in the car park and surrounded by some young men who struck him with sticks.
“Deal with him,” a voice could be heard saying in the background as the confrontation continued.
Speaking at the scene, Segun Aka-Bashorun alleged that the attack appeared to have been government-sponsored, citing the proximity of the venue to the Lagos State Government’s seat of power.
“This should be government-sponsored because this is very close to the governor’s office,” Aka-Bashorun alleged.
He said the NDC had legitimately hired the event centre for its programme and expressed disappointment that the attack could occur despite the presence of security personnel.
“This is our event. We’re expecting our Excellency… They know we are going to have an event here. Sadly, it’s very close to the governor’s office,” he said.
Aka-Bashorun said the apprehended suspect would be handed over to security agencies at the venue, including the police and the SSS.
“We are not law enforcement agents, but we have the guy here. We are going to hand him over to the security agencies that are here. We have the SSS. We have the police here,” he said.
He also pointed to vehicles allegedly damaged during the attack, including that of the party’s Deputy State Chairman.
“Look at the vehicles that are damaged here… Look at the Deputy State Chairman’s vehicle. So this is targeted at us. This is targeted at us,” he said.
Aka-Bashorun called on the Lagos State Governor to ensure that those responsible were brought to justice, saying such action would help address suspicions surrounding the incident.
“I’m calling on the governor of Lagos to exonerate himself by bringing these people to law. They should bring them to law,” he said.
There was no evidence available at the time of the report establishing that the Lagos State Government sponsored or authorised the attack, and Aka-Bashorun’s claim remained an allegation.
The disturbance later spread towards Kudirat Abiola Way, where a crowd gathered on the major road before police officers fired shots into the air to disperse them.
Gunshots could also be heard during a live report from the venue as security concerns continued.
Supporters were later seen moving towards the gates amid fears of possible further attacks, while the town hall was formally put on hold pending improvement in the security situation.
It was not immediately clear whether other persons sustained injuries or whether additional arrests had been made.
The identities of those who invaded the venue and their possible political affiliations had also not been established at the time of the report.
The Lagos incident comes amid a series of reported disruptions and attacks involving political activities associated with the NDC and its presidential candidate in different parts of the country.
On November 4, 2026, Obi’s convoy was attacked near Watt Market in Calabar, Cross River State, while he was travelling to the party’s presidential town hall meeting.
Suspected political thugs reportedly threw stones, bottles and other objects at vehicles and supporters during the incident.
One suspect was subsequently arrested.
Speaking after the attack, Obi said his security personnel advised him to change his route after the attackers were allegedly seen with machetes and other dangerous objects.
“They were throwing stones, and I saw people running back. And my security people said we should find another way because they have machetes and other things,” Obi said.
The Calabar incident followed another disruption involving supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso during a campaign rally in Warri, Delta State, on September 18, 2026.
Obi’s media aide, Esther Umoh, alleged that politically sponsored thugs attacked members of the campaign group, including members of the entourage of the NDC governorship candidate in Delta State.
The allegation of political sponsorship was not independently established.
Another attack occurred on September 12, 2026, when armed hoodlums reportedly invaded an NDC ward meeting in Obuoffia, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The assailants allegedly fired shots during the disruption, leaving several attendees injured.
Following the incident, the Enugu State Police Command ordered an investigation into the attack and a separate disruption involving a Peoples Democratic Party rally in Agbani.
The command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.
The NDC later identified eight persons as victims of the Obuoffia attack.
Police investigations subsequently led to the arrest of a traditional ruler, Obiora Igwesi, a former lawmaker and other suspects over their alleged involvement.
The investigation later generated controversy after police arraigned Ani Samuel Chidi, who recorded and circulated footage of the Enugu attack, over an allegation that he published a false statement accusing another person of participating in the violence.
The Enugu State chapter of the NDC criticised the development, accusing the police of targeting a person who recorded evidence of the attack.
The allegations against those arrested in connection with the violence and those against Chidi remain subject to the applicable legal processes.
Earlier, on September 8, 2026, Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata in Benue State was disrupted after a group of youths blocked his convoy.
Obi had planned to visit families affected by the June 2025 massacre in the community.
He accused suspected hired thugs of preventing him from reaching the area, maintaining that the visit was humanitarian rather than political.
The Benue State Government denied involvement in the incident, while police said officers had provided security for Obi’s movement and that investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the blockade.
Although the incidents occurred in different states and under different circumstances, they have raised concerns about the security of political gatherings and the ability of political parties and their supporters to carry out lawful activities without intimidation or violence.
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