Armed Thugs Attack ADC Secretariat in Kogi: Suleiman Vows Resistance Against Political Violence

Tension gripped Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State on Tuesday after armed thugs suspected to be politically sponsored invaded the secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The attackers, who reportedly stormed the office in broad daylight, vandalized furniture, destroyed sensitive documents, and set the party’s flag ablaze, leaving members shaken and outraged.

Eyewitnesses said the incident was swift and brutal, forcing residents nearby to flee as the thugs unleashed mayhem on the opposition party’s facility.

By the time calm returned, the secretariat had been reduced to a shadow of itself, with broken chairs, scattered papers, and torn registers littering the floor.

The Kogi State ADC Publicity Secretary, Abdulmalik Suleiman, reacting in anger, described the development as “a deliberate assault on democracy and an attack not just on the ADC, but on every citizen who believes in freedom of political association.”

“No political party has the monopoly of violence,” Suleiman declared. “We in the ADC have chosen the path of peace, of ideas, and of development. But let me make it clear today: our patience should not be mistaken for weakness. We will not sit idle while our members are attacked, our secretariat destroyed, and our flag desecrated.”

He continued, “Politics should never be reduced to thuggery and destruction. Democracy thrives when ideas are debated, when manifestos are compared, and when the people are allowed to choose freely. What happened in Dekina is shameful, it is cowardly, and it is a clear attempt to silence the fastest-growing political movement in Kogi State.”

Suleiman noted that the attack was not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of intimidation targeted at the ADC ahead of the elections. “Our rising popularity has unsettled some people,” he said. “We know it, the people know it, and those behind this attack know it too. But no amount of intimidation will stop the ADC from presenting a credible alternative to Kogites.”

Accusing fingers have already been pointed at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with Suleiman alleging that the attack bore the mark of desperate politicians.

“Let us not pretend,” Suleiman said pointedly. “The APC and PDP are rattled by the momentum of the ADC. This attack was not random. It was orchestrated to break our spirit and weaken our resolve. But we say to them: you cannot burn the will of the people, you cannot destroy their hope, and you cannot erase the future that the ADC represents.”

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The publicity secretary insisted that the ADC will pursue justice through every legal and constitutional means. “We will petition the police. We will engage INEC. We will demand accountability. And if the perpetrators think they will walk away free, they are mistaken. Kogi belongs to all of us, not a few desperate politicians.”

Residents of Dekina expressed dismay at the violence, warning that such acts, if unchecked, could derail democratic participation. Civil society groups also condemned the incident, urging security agencies to take decisive action.

Suleiman called on security agencies to rise above political interference. “The police must prove to Nigerians that they are not tools in the hands of any party. The security agencies must protect democracy, not undermine it. If they fail to act now, then they will be giving license for further bloodshed.”

He concluded with a rallying call to ADC supporters: “Let no one be afraid. We will rebuild our secretariat, we will raise another flag, and we will continue our campaigns. The ADC is not about a building; it is about an idea. And ideas, once they take root, cannot be destroyed by fire or by bullets.”

As of press time, no arrests had been made, but tension remains high in Dekina, with ADC members vowing that the attack will only strengthen their determination to fight for a new political order in Kogi State.

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