Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, and John Oyegun, a prominent figure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), narrowly escaped an attack by armed hoodlums on Tuesday in Benin City, the capital of Edo State. The incident occurred as Messrs Obi and Oyegun, along with members of the Obidient Movement, were en route to Mr. Oyegun’s residence after attending an ADC rally held at the party’s secretariat located along Ogbelaka Street, off Sapele Road, Benin City.

The rally was specifically organized to formally welcome Olumide Akpata, the former Labour Party governorship candidate for the 2024 Edo governorship election, into the African Democratic Congress. Hoodlums were reportedly observed at the party’s secretariat during the rally and subsequently trailed the politicians.

Valentine Obienyem, a media aide to Mr. Obi, confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement. He recounted that while Mr. Obi and other ADC members were at the secretariat, they noticed "unusual activities" by individuals in Sienna vehicles, which prompted them to leave. These vehicles then followed Mr. Obi's convoy. Upon Mr. Obi’s car entering Mr. Oyegun’s residence and the gate being shut, the Sienna buses arrived, and the hoodlums "opened fire on the convoy." At that moment, Mr. Obi’s vehicle was safely inside, but security vehicles and backup personnel were still outside. Mr. Obienyem further stated that the attackers fired at multiple vehicles and attempted to breach Mr. Oyegun’s residence, repeatedly shooting at the gate. However, security personnel returned fire, forcing the assailants to flee. "Thankfully, no lives were lost, though several people sustained varying degrees of injuries," Mr. Obienyem clarified.

Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, corroborated the events in a separate statement, describing it as a "survived assassination attempt." He noted that the hoodlums "shot at the gate and destroyed several vehicles," concluding that "Democracy is in danger."

The Edo State Police spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, an assistant superintendent of police, acknowledged the attack in a statement. Ms. Ikoedem confirmed that the police received a distress call at approximately 2:55 p.m., reporting that hoodlums had invaded the ADC secretariat, disrupted the premises, and chased guests away. Police patrol teams responded promptly, causing the suspects to flee. While confirming damage to "some plastic chairs and canopies" at the secretariat and stating "No casualties were reported," the police spokesperson conspicuously remained silent regarding the reported attack on Peter Obi’s convoy and other ADC members at Mr. Oyegun’s residence, which the politicians were trailed to from the secretariat. Security personnel have since been deployed to the area to maintain order.

Peter Obi himself addressed the attack in a video clip circulating on Facebook. He confirmed that the hoodlums opened fire as he and others were entering Mr. Oyegun’s residence. Pointing at the gate, he stated, "The hoodlums came in front of his (Oyegun’s) house, shooting (at us). If you look at his gate, you can see the bullet marks." He also highlighted that "Several cars (were) damaged." The video footage reportedly showed expended bullets on the ground and vehicles with bullet holes. Mr. Obi emphasized the unacceptability of such attacks, asserting that citizens cannot be terrorized if the country has an efficient government.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) strongly condemned the attack. Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, described the incident as "a grave and disturbing development" and a "major setback for the country’s democracy" in a post on X. Abdullahi notably linked the attack to a previous warning issued by Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State. In July 2025, Governor Okpebholo, a member of the APC, had cautioned Mr. Obi not to enter the state without notifying him or obtaining security clearance, claiming that a prior visit by Obi in July of that year to St Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences, where he donated N15 million, triggered violence and the death of three persons. Governor Okpebholo had then declared, "For this reason, Obi must not come to Edo without security clearance," adding, "His security will not be guaranteed. If anything happens to him here, he will have himself to blame. I’m not joking."

The ADC spokesperson further commented on the governor’s 2025 speech, stating, "We didn’t know at the time that the governor’s threat would include an assassination plot." He underscored that violence and intimidation are "the weapons of those who fear the will of the people" and that such actions "stain Nigeria’s democracy" and must be denounced by all who uphold freedom. Abdullahi affirmed the ADC’s unwavering resolve, declaring that the party "would neither bow nor retreat," and would "stand firm, speak without fear, and continue the peaceful struggle for a Nigeria where the opposition is not punished and every citizen is free."