The political temperature in Delta State rose sharply on Friday as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) One Million-Man March came under a series of attacks in parts of Warri and Uvwie, with the party alleging that armed political thugs disrupted the procession and left more than 100 people injured.
The NDC governorship candidate, Comrade Chris Iyovwaye, led the procession, which attracted thousands of supporters.
But what began as a peaceful political march allegedly turned into a running confrontation at several locations, including the Uvwie junction, Ugborokoko, Jakpa Road and Urhuomarho.
Former Deputy President of the Senate and NDC Delta Central senatorial candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, condemned the violence and demanded an immediate investigation by the police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.
Omo-Agege alleged that the incidents were not isolated clashes but part of a coordinated attempt to prevent the opposition party from exercising its constitutional right to campaign and mobilise supporters.
According to him, the march was originally scheduled to commence at Angle Park in Warri South but participants were allegedly confronted by persons identified as APC supporters, who told them to leave because the APC was holding a rally at the venue.
Following discussions with the police, the NDC supporters reportedly moved towards the Total filling station area.
Omo-Agege alleged that they were confronted again and told that the government had directed that the NDC procession should not pass through the area.
The situation allegedly escalated after the procession moved towards the Uvwie traffic-light junction.
Omo-Agege said NDC supporters were allegedly attacked at the junction and subsequently came under further attacks at Ugborokoko, where, according to accounts cited by him, gunshots were fired at the procession.
The procession nevertheless continued towards Jakpa Road, where another confrontation allegedly occurred.
In a dramatic development, Omo-Agege alleged that an individual identified as Collins Ogumashe, popularly known as ‘Black Moses,’ was apprehended during the confrontation after allegedly being found with an AK-47 rifle.
He said the suspect was disarmed by human rights activist, Efemena Umukoro, and handed over to the police.
Omo-Agege further alleged that Ogumashe was a known thug in Ugboroke and accused him of being among those allegedly deployed to disrupt NDC campaign activities in Uvwie.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the circumstances surrounding the firearm and the suspect’s alleged involvement remain matters for the security agencies to investigate.
The NDC politician, however, said the matter had taken a more disturbing turn following information allegedly reaching him that the Commissioner of Police had been directed to arrest Umukoro, the activist who allegedly disarmed the suspect.
Omo-Agege demanded that the police explain the circumstances surrounding the incident and investigate all sides of the confrontation.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, the DSS Director-General and other security agencies to determine who organised the attacks, who supplied any weapons used, who financed the alleged attackers and whether political actors were involved.
He also challenged the authorities to ensure that anyone found culpable faces prosecution irrespective of political affiliation or position.
The former Senate Deputy President placed particular responsibility on Governor Oborevwori, arguing that the governor, as the state’s Chief Security Officer, could not remain indifferent if citizens were attacked while participating in lawful political activities.
‘Delta State has seen enough of political violence,’ Omo-Agege said, warning against a situation in which political thugs determine where opposition parties can campaign or which political voices can be heard.
The violence has also triggered a direct appeal from Omo-Agege to youths across the state, urging them not to become instruments of political violence.
He asked youths to consider who ultimately bears the consequences when political violence erupts.
‘Where are the children of the politicians who recruit you when the bullets start flying?’ he asked.
According to him, the young people sent into the streets to fight are the ones who risk death, injury, arrest and the destruction of their future, while the children of those allegedly sponsoring political violence remain removed from the danger.
‘No political ambition is worth your life, your freedom or your future,’ Omo-Agege said.
Despite the reported attacks, he said NDC supporters refused to retreat and until they completed march.
He described their conduct as evidence that the party would not be intimidated or forced out of the political space through violence.
The incident comes as political activity intensifies in Delta State ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising fresh concerns about the conduct of political campaigns and the ability of opposition parties to mobilise freely.
Omo-Agege insisted that the NDC would continue with peaceful, issue-based campaigns and engage voters across the state.
‘You may attack our people, but you cannot silence their voices,’ he said. ‘The people have the right to choose, and that right must be protected.’
The NDC is now demanding that the security agencies move beyond the arrest of individual suspects and establish the full chain of responsibility behind Friday’s violence.