Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has accused suspected political thugs of attacking her and other party officials during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primaries in Abuja, describing the incident as a “premeditated ambush.”
In a statement shared on her Facebook page on Sunday, Kingibe said the incident occurred on May 21, 2026, at the ADC State Secretariat in Gudu, where she had gone to observe the distribution of materials for the party’s National Assembly primaries.
According to her, the process was initially peaceful until a man identified as Tijani Mubarak arrived with a group of associates and disrupted the exercise.
She alleged that tensions escalated after an exchange between Mubarak and the committee chairman, culminating in a physical assault when the chairman resisted what she described as unruly behaviour.
Kingibe further claimed that a female aspirant who attempted to record the incident was attacked and had her phone seized, allegedly on Mubarak’s orders, with the woman reportedly manhandled in the process.
The senator also alleged that she was assaulted during the chaos, stating that one of the men forcefully pushed her against a wall, causing her to hit her head.
She added that the attackers allegedly locked the office, trapping those inside before fleeing with the key, leaving occupants unable to escape.
According to Kingibe, supporters later forced their way into the building and freed those trapped after a confrontation outside the premises.
She said she subsequently received medical attention for severe headache and blurred vision, with doctors reportedly confirming head trauma.
Kingibe noted that she has reported the incident to the ADC national leadership and filed a formal complaint at the Apo Police Station in Abuja.
She called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those involved, urging the Inspector General of Police and the FCT Police Commissioner to ensure a thorough investigation into what she described as a coordinated attack.
The senator also condemned violence against women in politics, insisting that the alleged assault on a female aspirant and herself must not be ignored, while affirming that she remains resolute despite the incident.