By: Manoah Kikekon
 |
| Hoodlums used to illustrate the story |
LAGOS, NIGERIA — Violence erupted in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Saturday, January 31, 2026, as over 100 unidentified hoodlums disrupted a ceremony intended to mark the mass defection of Labour Party (LP) members to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The event, which was supposed to be a peaceful transition for local party structures, turned into a scene of chaos as armed thugs wielding knives and canes stormed the LP secretariat in Idumu, leaving several party members with varying degrees of injuries.
The hoodlums reportedly invaded the first venue while shouting that "LP and ADC are not welcome in Lagos State." As party officials and members fled for safety, the attackers turned their focus to the property, destroying furniture and tearing down party flags.
In a resilient effort to continue the proceedings, the organisers moved the event to an alternative venue at the Eco Centre Event in Egbeda. However, the respite was short-lived. The hoodlums reportedly tracked the participants to the second location, launching a secondary assault and beating members again before security forces arrived.
Recounting the ordeal, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Olanrewaju Olushola (popularly known as "Heritage"), condemned the attack as a direct blow to democratic freedom in Nigeria.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of wounds,” Olushola stated. “This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho and destroying our furniture and flags. I fear that most Nigerians might not be free to express themselves in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.”
Olushola clarified that the move to the ADC was a collective decision by almost the entire LP leadership in Alimosho, driven by unresolved internal litigations and leadership crises within the Labour Party.
The Secretary of the party in Alimosho, Moses Akujuobi, revealed that their attempts to secure official police approval for the ceremony were met with bureaucratic hurdles. According to Akujuobi, the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, stated she lacked the power to approve political events, directing them to the Commissioner of Police.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen,” Akujuobi explained. “They informed us that we cannot hold the event. While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people.”
Heavily armed police units arrived at the second venue shortly after the attackers had fled in several cars. A police officer on the scene, speaking anonymously, confirmed that while the situation was tense, no lives were lost in the skirmish.
This incident follows a series of political realignments in Lagos, including the high-profile move of former LP governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour to the ADC. Analysts suggest that Alimosho a critical voting bloc in Lagos is becoming a primary battleground for opposition coalitions looking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
As the "third force" coalition under the ADC banner continues to gain momentum, today’s violence raises urgent questions about the safety of opposition figures and the neutrality of security agencies in Nigeria's commercial capital.