Violence erupted at the inauguration of a transition committee jointly set up by opposition parties in Kaduna State on Saturday, as suspected political thugs stormed the event, witnesses said.
The committee, which includes members of an All Progressives Congress (APC) faction opposed to the state leadership, as well as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party, and African Democratic Congress (ADC), faced disruptions when hoodlums armed with cutlasses, clubs, and stones attacked participants and vandalised property, eyewitnesses told PUNCH Online.
Several attendees were injured, and vehicles were damaged, the witnesses said. Despite the violence, the inauguration continued under tense conditions.
Eyewitnesses criticised the police, accusing them of inaction. Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who attended the event, condemned the attack, calling it “a dangerous descent into lawlessness.”
“If the authorities don’t end the introduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics, God help us. Nobody has a monopoly on violence or thugs. We will take decisive steps to ensure this does not repeat itself,” El-Rufai said. He added that senior police officers at the scene, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, “stood by and watched” as the violence unfolded. He also vowed to escalate the matter to the Police Service Commission, claiming that the police had violated regulations by failing to intervene.
ADC National Vice Chairman (North-West) Jafaru Sani described the attack as “sad and unfortunate,” noting Kaduna’s long history of political violence. “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,” he said.
Kaduna State APC Secretary Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate denied any involvement by the ruling party, insisting that the APC does not sponsor or support political thuggery. “The ADC and other opposition groups are free to carry out their activities without harassment,” he said.
Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the command would release a formal statement on the incident.
