A senior figure in Nigeria’s opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that a violent attack on party leaders in Benin City was a targeted assassination attempt orchestrated by state actors. Kenneth Okonkwo, a lawyer and member of the ADC’s National Working Committee, made the claims during an interview on ARISE NEWS.
The incident occurred during a gathering attended by several prominent politicians, including three former governors: John Odigie-Oyegun, Oserheimen Osunbor, and Peter Obi. Okonkwo stated that while there were injuries, there were no confirmed fatalities at the time of his interview.
Okonkwo directly accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and government security agencies of being responsible. “This was an assassination attempt by people I can describe as either the governmental people or their agents. This is genocide against political opponents,” he said. He further alleged a systematic effort by the APC to dismantle opposition parties and create a de facto one-party state, suggesting the attack was a premeditated act of intimidation after other parties had not been eliminated.
A central point in his accusation was the alleged withdrawal of security details for the former governors and other attendees. “They withdrew the security of John Oyegun and all the other people. If the security was there, they wouldn’t be attacked,” Okonkwo claimed, linking the absence of protection directly to the attack’s occurrence.
He confirmed the incident has been formally reported to police authorities, noting that former governor Odigie-Oyegun had been visited by the Commissioner of Police. However, Okonkwo expressed uncertainty about what subsequent action would be taken.
The allegations, if substantiated, point to a severe escalation in political tensions and raise concerns about the safety of opposition figures and the pluralism of Nigeria’s democratic space. The ADC’s characterization of the event as a “genocide” against political opponents underscores the depth of mistrust between the opposition and the federal government. The police have not yet publicly commented on the specific claims of an orchestrated attack or security lapses.
