Tension erupted in Benin City on Tuesday after gunmen attacked leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun, shortly after a party meeting. The assailants reportedly stormed the ADC secretariat on Ogbelaka Street, firing shots, vandalising property and injuring at least three persons, before proceeding to Oyegun’s residence on Reservation Road where vehicles were riddled with bullets. Police confirmed the attack, saying hoodlums disrupted the gathering but reported no fatalities and assured that investigations were ongoing.
Obi described the incident as a dangerous sign for Nigeria’s democracy, displaying bullet holes and damaged vehicles at Oyegun’s home in a video circulated online. National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, alleged that armed men trailed the leaders from the secretariat to Oyegun’s residence. Oyegun said they had earlier received intelligence from a security agency warning of a planned attack, prompting them to cut short their meeting, and questioned the absence of coordinated security protection.
The Edo State chapter of the ADC accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the violence, claiming thugs injured party members and destroyed property. However, the Edo State government and APC denied involvement, attributing the incident to internal crises within the ADC. Information Commissioner Kassim Afegbua said the violence was linked to factional disputes, while APC chairman Emperor Jarret Tenebe dismissed allegations of complicity.
Senator Owie denied claims of any rift between him and Oyegun, blaming worsening insecurity in the state under Governor Monday Okpebholo. Former vice president Atiku Abubakar condemned the attack as unacceptable in a democracy, warning against inflammatory rhetoric and political violence. Olumide Akpata described the incident as evidence of intolerance toward opposition politics.
Police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem said officers responded swiftly to disperse the hoodlums and have reinforced security around the affected locations. Armed policemen were stationed at both the ADC secretariat and Oyegun’s residence as of press time. The attack has heightened political tension in Edo State, with opposition figures warning of shrinking democratic space while authorities insist the situation is under control.
