A man has urged supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu State to carry wooden planks and machetes to future party events. He said they should defend themselves after attacks he says security operatives failed to stop. In the video, he says the group was attacked by thugs while returning from the airport, even though security agencies had been informed.
His words follow a violent Saturday. Reports say thugs attacked NDC supporters at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu as they gathered to welcome the party’s governorship candidate, Chinyeaka Ohaa. One person was reportedly killed, according to a statement by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Premium Times reported video clips showing supporters running for safety amid shooting. One clip showed a suspected thug hitting a supporter with a plank, while a man in army uniform stood nearby and did nothing. These are claims from video footage, and none of them has been officially confirmed. The Enugu police, the army and the airport authorities had not given an official account when one report was filmed.
Political Violence Is Not New in Enugu: Past Cases and the Lessons They Left (Election-Season Attacks)
This was not the first attack on the party this season. About a month earlier, the NDC alleged that “state-sponsored thugs” attacked its members at a grassroots meeting in Obuoffia Ward, Nkanu West. The Enugu police confirmed that armed hoodlums disrupted the meeting and said an investigation had been ordered. The party’s governorship candidate condemned the violence and said it would stay in the race. The NDC’s claims about who sent the attackers are allegations, and we have not seen them proven.
Enugu has also seen worse. In February 2023, three days before the general elections, gunmen attacked the campaign vehicle of Labour Party senatorial candidate Oyibo Chukwu. Police said he and his personal assistant were burnt to death. On the same day, gunmen attacked the campaign convoy of a PDP candidate for Enugu North/South and killed a driver. The same report lists other attacks in late 2022, including an assault on an APC rally in Ibadan, and the killings of a Labour Party women’s leader in Kaduna and a Labour Party candidate in Imo. The lesson is that attacks on campaigns tend to repeat when no one is held to account.
Fear Grows Where Protection Seems Missing: The Causes Behind Calls to Fight Back (Loss of Trust in Security Agencies)
The man’s message is built on one complaint: that security agencies were told and did nothing. We cannot confirm that, because no official has yet answered it. But the video showing a uniformed man standing by while a supporter was beaten has spread widely. Such images make people feel that nobody will protect them. When that feeling takes hold, some will turn to self-help (taking security into their own hands).
Impunity (when wrongdoers go unpunished) also fuels the cycle. If the people behind earlier attacks are never arrested or tried, thugs expect no consequences, and victims lose hope in the courts. Party anger adds to this. In the same week, Obi said some of his planned engagements in other states were cancelled after hosts reportedly received threats. Tension is rising on every side.
Why Answering Violence With Weapons Could Make Everything Worse: Effects on People and the Country (Consequences of Armed Self-Defence)
Weapons at political events raise the chance of death. A crowd carrying planks and machetes can turn a shouting match into a bloodbath within minutes. Innocent people, including women, children and passers-by, are often the ones hurt.
The law is also clear. Under the Electoral Act 2022, carrying an offensive weapon at a political meeting can lead to a fine of up to N500,000, up to 12 months in prison, or both. The Electoral Act 2026 has new rules on conduct at rallies, and police have warned that they will not tolerate thuggery or the display of weapons. Penalties may differ under the new Act, so readers should check the current text. INEC’s code of conduct for parties also bars them from allowing offensive weapons at rallies. A supporter who follows this call may end up facing the police, not just the thugs.
For the country, the damage is large. Fear keeps voters and candidates at home, so elections become less free. Obi warned that “when anarchy comes, it consumes everybody.” Nigeria’s democracy depends on people believing they can take part safely. If armed groups on every side become normal, the damage will reach all parties and all citizens, and outside observers and investors will notice.
Ways to Cool the Tension and Protect Supporters Without Weapons (Possible Solutions)
The first step belongs to the authorities. The Enugu police and army should publish what happened at the airport, say whether any arrests have been made, and explain how a uniformed man came to be filmed beside an attack. A candidate from another party, the NRM’s Christopher Okonkwo, has also asked the state government and security agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible regardless of political affiliation. Quick, open prosecutions are the best answer to people who feel abandoned.
Party leaders must also act. They should publicly tell supporters not to carry weapons, and avoid language that can be read as a call to arms. Parties can write to the police ahead of each event, give route details and ask for escorts. They can also hold smaller, well-managed gatherings until trust returns.
Supporters have safer options. They can travel in groups, record any attack and send the footage to the police, civil society groups and the media, and keep records of every report they make. Lawyers can help file complaints in court if the police do not act. Rights groups, INEC and religious leaders can also push for a peace pact among all parties in Enugu.
Protecting Citizens Is the State’s Duty, Not the Crowd’s: Our Closing Argument (Responsibility for Safety)
We understand the anger. Watching your fellow supporters be beaten while officers seem to stand by is deeply painful. Anyone who feels abandoned will want to fight back.
But we believe the call to carry machetes and planks is the wrong answer. It could cost more lives, including the lives of the very people it aims to protect. It also hands a ready excuse to those who want to paint all opposition supporters as dangerous.
The real answer is for the state to do its job. If the police and army protect every citizen equally, no one will feel the need to defend themselves with weapons. We urge the authorities to investigate the airport attack fully and to make arrests that the public can see. We also urge all parties to restrain their supporters. We will update this story as official statements come in.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
