In a shocking escalation of Nigeria’s deepening political turmoil, the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza came under violent attack this morning as heavily armed police forces fired tear gas canisters and live gunshots to disperse peaceful supporters and party members.
Eyewitnesses report chaos and panic as unarmed civilians, including PDP staff, journalists, and loyalists, were caught in the crossfire during attempts to access the secretariat for the scheduled inaugural meeting of the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party.
The incident unfolded around 10:00 am, local time, when convoys carrying Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo State) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi State), alongside the newly elected PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), approached the premises.
Thugs mobilised by the expelled Secretary. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, had already mobilised to block entry, leading to a tense standoff in the presence of police men.
In response, police operatives – deployed in overwhelming numbers since dawn – unleashed a barrage of tear gas and gunshots, forcing crowds to scatter amid screams and suffocating smoke.
“This is a blatant assault on democracy and the rule of law. Unarmed Nigerians exercising their constitutional rights are being treated like criminals by security forces acting on the behest of political godfathers,” said Pius Kennedy, a senior Party member.
Party staff were earlier manhandled and ordered to vacate, underscoring what critics call a coordinated effort to suppress the opposition ahead of critical 2027 election preparations.
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