Shocking escalation of political violence, a meeting of the El-Rufai-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition was violently disrupted today by a mob of alleged government-sponsored thugs, leaving several members injured and multiple vehicles destroyed.
The attack occurred this afternoon at a venue in the Kaduna North Local Government Area where supporters and key figures of the coalition were gathered to strategize for upcoming political activities.
According to multiple eyewitnesses who spoke to Sahara Reporters, the assailants, armed with clubs, machetes, and other dangerous weapons, stormed the meeting unannounced. They launched a brutal assault on attendees, causing chaos and forcing people to flee for their safety.
“They came in buses and bikes, chanting slogans in support of the state government,” one witness, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, claimed. “They were not ordinary hoodlums; they were organized and knew exactly what they were there to do. They started breaking chairs, windows, and then descended on people with their weapons.”
The scene was described as pandemonium, with attendees scrambling to escape the violence. Several individuals sustained severe injuries from the attack and are currently receiving treatment at undisclosed medical facilities in the city. Photographs obtained by Sahara Reporters show vandalized cars with shattered windshields and dented bodies, evidence of the mob’s destructive path.
While no group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, members of the ADC coalition and supporters of the former Governor El-Rufai were quick to point fingers at the current state administration, alleging the thugs were sponsored to intimidate and stifle opposition.
“This is a cowardly act by a government terrified of the growing influence of the ADC coalition under the leadership of Abdul-Azeez El-Rufai,” said a statement from a coalition spokesperson. “We hold the Kaduna State Government and its security apparatus entirely responsible for this unprovoked attack. This is a direct assault on democracy and the fundamental right of association.”
The Kaduna State Police Command is yet to release an official statement on the incident. Efforts to reach police spokespersons for comment were not immediately successful.
This attack marks a dangerous turn in Kaduna’s political landscape, raising fears of a return to the era of political thuggery and violence ahead of future elections. It also highlights the deepening political rift between the camp of the former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the current state government.
