Persons suspected to be political thugs reportedly attacked the Edo State secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benin City, damaging property and attempting to set the facility ablaze.
News360 Info reports that the incident, which occurred on Ogbelaka Street, reportedly on Wednesday night, triggered panic in the area as residents reportedly resisted the attackers and foiled the arson attempt.
It was gathered that the hoodlums allegedly poured fuel on parts of the building in a bid to burn it down, but failed after facing resistance from people living nearby.
The attackers subsequently destroyed windows and other items within the premises before fleeing the scene.
A viral video circulating on social media captured the aftermath of the attack, with a narrator alleging that the assailants tried to set the secretariat on fire before escaping.
Confirming the incident, the Edo State Chairman of the ADC, Kennedy Odion, said the attackers were armed with about 10 litres of fuel and had intended to raze the building.
He alleged that the attack was politically motivated and aimed at forcing the party out of the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Some politicians want ADC to leave the state so that no other political party would contest the 2027 election apart from them.
“Election is a game that requires everybody’s participation. There is freedom of association and it is still in force and you can’t force anyone to join a political party of your choice,” he said.
Odion disclosed that the incident had been reported to security agencies and urged them to identify and prosecute those responsible.
The spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the attack, stating that the police received a report at about 8:00 pm on Wednesday about suspected hoodlums vandalising the ADC secretariat.
She said officers were immediately deployed to the scene to restore normalcy and secure the area.
According to her, a preliminary assessment showed malicious damage to the party’s flags and two shattered windows within the premises.
“Security has been deployed to the area to forestall further attacks while investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible,” she added.
