Monday, May 25, 2026 - Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has accused political thugs of violently attacking her and other party officials during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Assembly Primary in Abuja, describing the incident as a “premeditated ambush” and warning that political thuggery must not be allowed to replace democracy.
In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Sunday in
Abuja, Kingibe said the incident occurred on Thursday, 21 May 2026, at the ADC
State Secretariat in Gudu, where she had gone to observe the distribution of
materials for the party’s National Assembly primary elections.
She explained that the exercise initially proceeded
peacefully until a man identified as Tijani Mubarak arrived with several men
and disrupted proceedings.
“The moment he introduced himself, the Chairman asked if he
was the individual who had been calling earlier in the day. Instantly, Mubarak
became aggressively rude,” she said.
The Senator alleged that the situation escalated when the
election committee chairman refused to tolerate the behaviour, leading to a
physical assault.
” He violently slapped the Chairman of the Committee,” she
stated.
She further alleged that a female aspirant who attempted to
record the incident was attacked by the group and had her phone forcefully
taken.
“Infuriated by this, Mubarak ordered his thugs to seize her
phone,” she said, adding that the woman was forced in the process.
The Senator also claimed she was physically assaulted during
the incident.
“One of Mubarak’s men turned on me… grabbed me, and flung me
violently against the wall, hitting my head with severe force,” she alleged.
According to her, the attackers locked the office door and
trapped occupants inside before fleeing with the key, preventing escape.
Realising he was losing control of the room, Mubarak ran to
the exit door, locked it, and trapped us inside with himself and his armed
thugs,” she said.
Kingibe said supporters later forced entry into the building
and helped rescue those inside after a violent scuffle outside the premises.
She added that she was later treated in hospital after
experiencing a severe headache and blurred vision, with doctors reportedly
confirming head trauma.
Following the incident, she said she reported the matter to
the ADC national leadership and lodged a formal complaint at the Apo Police
Station in Abuja.
The Senator called for the immediate arrest and prosecution
of those involved, urging security agencies to investigate what she described
as a coordinated attack.
“I call upon the Inspector General of Police and the FCT
Police Commissioner to immediately order the arrest, thorough investigation,
and swift prosecution,” she said.
Ireti Kingibe also condemned violence against women in
politics, insisting that the incident must not be ignored.
“The barbaric manhandling of a female aspirant and the
physical assault on my person will not be swept under the carpet,” she said,
adding that she remains “unbowed” despite the attack.
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