By Deborah Nnamdi
Tension flared in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday following a reported armed attack on supporters of former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun, raising fresh concerns over political violence.
In a video circulating online, suspected hoodlums were said to have stormed the premises, firing sporadically. The footage showed visible bullet holes on the gates and extensive damage to vehicles parked within the compound.
“Hoodlums came, shooting. If you look at the gates, everything — you can see the bullets at the gates. You can see it. They damaged everything. That is where our democracy has reached,” Obi said in the video.
Another account indicated that the incident occurred shortly after the group left the headquarters of the African Democratic Congress in Benin and proceeded to Oyegun’s residence.
“Immediately after we left the ADC headquarters in Benin, we came into the house of Chief Oyegun, the former governor, and these hoodlums came and started shooting. These are bullets. They started shooting and destroying vehicles,” a source said.
An eyewitness further alleged that the attack was politically motivated and linked it to the 2027 general elections.
“You see, they know Bola Tinubu is going to lose in 2027, and they don’t want peace. The hoodlums came for you to know what 2027 will look like,” the source claimed.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
