Stakeholders in Kogi East Senatorial District have strongly condemned the violent disruption of an African Democratic Congress (ADC) ward meeting in Ejule-Alla, Ofu Local Government Area, which left several party members injured.
Suspected loyalists of a rival political party invaded the gathering last Tuesday at the residence of the Ejule-Alla Ward Chairman of the ADC.
In the ensuing chaos, political thugs reportedly opened fire and inflicted injuries on several party members, bringing the meeting to an abrupt end as attendees fled for their lives.
The attack has created heightened tension in Ejule-Alla and neighboring communities.
Reacting to the incident, stakeholders across the region-including political leaders and community associations-condemned the assault and urged political actors to embrace peace and tolerance.
The State Chairman of the ADC, Tom Zakari, described the incident as a ‘barbaric and unprovoked attack.’
‘This attack is not only an assault on the ADC, but an assault on democracy, freedom of association, and the peace-loving people of Kogi State,’ Zakari said.
He called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) to urgently investigate the incident, identify the perpetrators, and bring their sponsors to justice.
Zakari also urged the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and security agencies to pay close attention to what he termed ‘growing intimidation against opposition parties in Kogi East.’
Similarly, Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd), former Accord Party governorship candidate in Kogi State, appealed to politicians and citizens to uphold peace and love as the 2027 general elections approach.
Condemning the use of violence in political activities, Jibrin warned against allowing political competition to escalate into bloodshed.
‘We call on security agencies to thoroughly investigate the Ejule incident, fish out those responsible, and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full wrath of the law,’ Jibrin stated.
Also reacting, the President of the Ejule Forum, Dr. Farouk Achimugu, called on all political parties to restrain their supporters from actions that threaten communal peace and unity.
‘We wish to reiterate that an election is not war. In Ejule, we are all related by blood, and we shall remain brothers and sisters even after elections. No political ambition is worth the blood of our people,’ Achimugu said. ‘We therefore urge all politicians and political actors to refrain from actions and utterances inimical to peaceful coexistence.’
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful. Although the command initially promised to gather details and respond, it had not issued an official statement as of press time.