A political gathering in Kaduna State descended into chaos on Saturday when a meeting to inaugurate the transition committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition coalition parties was violently disrupted by suspected thugs. The event, which brought together factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other opposition groups, was invaded by armed individuals wielding cutlasses, clubs, and stones.
Despite the attack, which left several participants injured and property vandalized, the meeting continued. Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was present at the event, condemned the incident, calling it a “dangerous descent into lawlessness” and accusing security operatives of complicity. He alleged that police officers deployed to the venue stood by and did nothing while the violence unfolded.
“We booked and paid for this hall since the 11th. We don’t know why they sent policemen to stop us,” El-Rufai said. “When they saw us, the policemen fled because they knew what they were doing was unlawful.” He further accused the state government of using “vulnerable children of the poor, drugged and intoxicated” to cause the mayhem.
Vowing to bring Kaduna “back to the right path,” El-Rufai urged his supporters to document all acts of political intimidation for a “day of reckoning.”
The Kaduna State Police Command, however, placed the blame squarely on El-Rufai. In a statement, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, claimed the former governor failed to notify security agencies of the meeting, despite repeated warnings. The police have launched an investigation into the incident and urged political actors to follow due process to avoid a breach of public peace.
The incident has heightened concerns about political violence in Kaduna State ahead of the 2027 general elections. El-Rufai warned that if authorities fail to end “the introduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics,” the situation could spiral out of control. “Nobody has a monopoly on violence or thugs. We will take decisive steps to ensure this never happens again,” he stated.
