Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a chilling escalation of political violence, armed thugs brutally attacked a political gathering of the Accord Party in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory, on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The attack occurred just days after the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, issued a viral threat warning residents to either support the All Progressives Congress (APC) or leave the area council.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the meeting had barely commenced when the men arrived at the venue armed with cutlasses and began attacking participants. The attack occurred while the FCT Accord Party youth leader was addressing party youths. The attackers reportedly chased participants away from the venue, smashed tables and chairs with their cutlasses, and injured at least one person. Videos seen by SaharaReporters showed different persons running in different directions as thugs attacked the meeting, while other footage showed banners, chairs and other items destroyed in the aftermath of the crisis.
The attack comes amid growing political tension in Kuje ahead of the 2027 general elections, following controversial statements attributed to officials of the Kuje Area Council over residents' choice of political candidates. On August 25, 2026, SaharaReporters had reported that the Chief Protocol Officer to the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Stephen Tumaka, threatened residents who may refuse to vote for APC candidates in the 2027 general elections. In a social media post, Tumaka declared that Kuje belonged to the APC and warned residents unwilling to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates that they could no longer consider the area council their home.
Tumaka's warning appeared to reinforce the position previously expressed by Shekwolo himself. In a video that triggered widespread controversy, Shekwolo openly warned residents that they could either support the APC or leave Kuje Area Council. "It's either you're doing APC or leave the Area Council. I am not hiding it at all at all. With confidence, I am saying it," he declared. He further explained his position by referring to the support he said the area council was receiving from the Minister and the President.
The attack on the Accord Party meeting has drawn widespread condemnation. Amnesty International Nigeria had earlier condemned Shekwolo's remarks, describing them as a call to violence and an attack on residents' freedom of association and liberty. Amnesty called on the police and other security agencies to intervene and prevent any attempt to use violence against residents on account of their political choices. The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) also called on security agencies to investigate Shekwolo over the alleged directive to residents who do not support the APC to leave the area council.
Although it was not immediately clear who organised the attack or whether the incident was directly linked to the recent political threats in the area, the assault has heightened concerns over the safety of opposition party members and supporters participating in political activities in Kuje. The incident has transformed what was previously a controversy over political rhetoric into a confrontation involving armed men and an opposition political gathering. For the Accord youths, the issue is no longer simply about words; they were holding a political meeting when men carrying cutlasses stormed the venue, chased them away and smashed furniture.
The development has intensified scrutiny of the political climate in Kuje, particularly following the chairman's earlier remarks about political allegiance. Political parties are entitled to organise meetings and mobilise supporters, while citizens have the right to belong to and support political parties of their choice. The alleged attack on the Accord gathering therefore raises fundamental questions about political tolerance and democratic participation in the area council. As the 2027 elections draw closer, the incident serves as a stark warning of the dangerous consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric and the urgent need for security agencies to protect the rights of all citizens to participate freely in the political process.
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