The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being responsible for an attack on its supporters during a town hall meeting in Ikeja, Lagos State, describing the incident as an attempt to intimidate opposition members and undermine democratic participation. The attack occurred on Thursday, November 12, 2026, when suspected political thugs armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones reportedly invaded the venue of the party’s gathering, disrupted proceedings and forced attendees to flee for safety. The attackers allegedly scattered chairs and damaged parts of the event venue before some NDC supporters confronted them and attempted to repel the invasion.
The confrontation subsequently spilled onto Kudirat Abiola Way, causing traffic disruption as both groups reportedly exchanged objects. Police officers later arrived at the scene and fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd and restore order. The incident also affected journalists covering the gathering, with a reporter from TheCable, Samuel Adebanjo, reportedly assaulted and dispossessed of his camera, microphone and other equipment.Reacting to the development, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, condemned the attack and accused the APC of promoting political violence against opposition parties. He described the incident as unfortunate and unwarranted, questioning why political gatherings should become targets of intimidation in a democratic society.
The party maintained that its supporters had the constitutional right to assemble, discuss political issues and participate in electoral activities without fear of violence. However, the APC dismissed the allegations, insisting that the NDC had presented no credible evidence connecting the ruling party to the incident. The Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, said the party was occupied with the formal commencement of its 2027 election campaign in Epe on the same day and had no reason to interfere with the opposition gathering in Ikeja. He described the accusation as an attempt to shift attention from the NDC’s internal challenges and urged its leadership to investigate its own affairs rather than blame the ruling party for every disagreement. Oladejo also challenged the opposition to submit any available evidence to security agencies instead of making unsubstantiated public allegations.Meanwhile, the APC Presidential Campaign Council condemned the disruption of the NDC meeting and called on security agencies to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and ensure that they are brought to justice. Its spokesperson, Dele Alake, described attacks on political gatherings in Lagos, Edo, Cross River and Gombe as unacceptable, urging political parties, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify.
The council stressed that political disagreements should be addressed through peaceful democratic engagement rather than violence and intimidation. Reports also indicated that police officers eventually deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd after the confrontation escalated. However, the identities of the attackers, their alleged sponsors and the circumstances surrounding the invasion had not been independently established at the time of reporting. The incident has renewed concerns about political security and the protection of opposition activities, with calls growing for a thorough investigation to establish accountability and prevent similar attacks during the forthcoming election campaign.
