Chaos broke out on Saturday at the inauguration of a transition committee formed by opposition parties in Kaduna state.
The event, held in Kaduna city, was disrupted when suspected thugs invaded the venue, attacking participants and damaging property.
The hoodlums, armed with cutlasses, clubs and stones, were said to have attacked, leaving several people injured and vehicles destroyed.
The committee had brought together members of an All Progressives Congress (APC) faction opposed to the state leadership, alongside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Despite the violence, the inauguration went ahead under tense conditions.
Attendees accused the police of failing to act as the violence unfolded, alleging complicity on the part of the officers deployed to the venue.
According to PUNCH, Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, who was present at the event, described the attack as “a dangerous descent into lawlessness.”
He alleged that senior police officers, including an assistant commissioner, stood by and watched as the violence took place.
“If the authorities don’t end the introduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics, God help us. Nobody has a monopoly on violence or thugs,” el-Rufai was quoted as saying.
“We will take decisive steps to ensure this does not repeat itself.”
He vowed to escalate the matter to the Police Service Commission (PSC), accusing the police of breaching their duty by failing to intervene.
Jafaru Sani, ADC national vice-chairman (north-west), condemned the violence, describing it as “sad and unfortunate.”
He said Kaduna’s history of political violence was being replayed, adding that opposition parties will not be cowed into silence.
“We will never be intimidated or forced to retreat. We will continue to pursue our political activities with all the energy and commitment we have,” Sani said.
Reacting to the incident, Yahaya Baba-Pate, APC secretary in Kaduna, denied any involvement of the ruling party.
“The ADC and other opposition groups are free to carry out their activities without harassment,” Baba-Pate said.
