Thugs on Thursday attacked supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a town hall meeting in the Oregun area of Lagos State leading to not less than four party members injured.

The hoodlums armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, invaded the event venue, disrupted proceedings and sent participants scampering for safety.

Before the attack, the atmosphere at the venue had been peaceful, with supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso dancing and singing in anticipation of the commencement of the town hall meeting.

However, at about 11am, the hoodlums stormed the venue and launched an attack on NDC supporters.

The attackers attempted to gain entry into the main hall but were initially resisted by supporters of the party.

Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, won Lagos State, a traditional stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with 582,354 votes in the 2023 presidential election when he contested on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

His running mate for the 2027 presidential election is former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Meanwhile, a member of the party has narrated how the suspected thugs invaded the party’s meeting, alleging that the attackers arrived in five commercial buses.

Olamilekan Olayiwola, the party’s Ward F Chairman and security coordinator at the event, said the attackers stormed the premises around 8am while supporters were making preparations ahead of the arrival of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

According to him, the suspected thugs, numbering about 50, were armed with guns, cutlasses, axes, machetes and other dangerous weapons.

Olayiwola said four party members sustained injuries during the attack, while several others lost their mobile phones in the ensuing chaos.

He added that some party members mobilised women to defend themselves against the attackers, while two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the scene fired warning shots into the air to disperse the hoodlums.

He lamented the absence of police officers during the incident, although more than 20 armed policemen were later sighted at the venue.

The NDC chieftain called on political leaders and security agencies to strengthen security arrangements at political gatherings and polling units across Lagos State to prevent a possible escalation of political violence.

However, the police said they were not informed about the political rally.