Suspected political thugs attacked supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) twice in Enugu State on Saturday, first at Akanu Ibiam International Airport and then at the party's secretariat during a governorship campaign flag-off event. The attacks, which involved sporadic gunshots and a physical assault caught on video, have raised tensions ahead of the 2027 elections. According to Premium Times, the trouble began when NDC supporters gathered at the airport in Emene to receive the party's governorship candidate, Chinyeaka Ohaa, who had just landed.
Attack at Akanu Ibiam International Airport
Armed hoodlums moved in and chased the crowd away with sporadic gunfire before Ohaa could be properly received. Video clips seen by Legit.ng showed one attacker striking an NDC supporter with a plank near the Air Force Base close to the airport, leaving the victim with a bleeding head wound. In the same clip, a man dressed in army uniform was visible standing close to the scene but made no attempt to intervene. Other supporters in the video could be heard calling on the uniformed man to act as another thug appeared, but he did not respond.
One supporter was heard telling the injured man in the clip: "Come up a bit, let's know how we can take you to the hospital." Separate footage showed vehicles belonging to NDC supporters with smashed windscreens. Some supporters in the clips accused police and army personnel of being complicit in the attacks, though Legit.ng could not independently verify those claims.
Violence Continues at NDC Secretariat
When the supporters eventually regrouped at the NDC secretariat in Enugu for the campaign flag-off, the violence followed them there. Gunshots rang out again, sending supporters scrambling in all directions. Police operatives were filmed shooting towards those believed to be the attackers as the crowd fled the venue. Scattered chairs and fallen canopies were left behind at what had been meant to be a political rally.
One NDC member expressed frustration in a separate clip: "You people did it at the airport, we kept quiet, now we are starting it again here in our party office." Enugu State Police spokesman Daniel Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, asked to be contacted via WhatsApp but had not replied to an enquiry sent to him before this report was filed.
Pattern of Violence in Enugu
Saturday's events were not isolated. On September 12, hoodlums broke up an NDC meeting at Ndiuno-Obuoffia Community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. Around the same time, suspected thugs also wrecked canopies and chairs set up for a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally at St. Joseph Primary School in Agbani, within the same council area. The police subsequently announced an investigation into those earlier attacks.
Enugu State is led by Peter Mbah of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The repeated disruptions have raised concerns about the safety of political activities in the state ahead of the 2027 elections, with no official response yet from the police or military regarding the allegations of complicity.
