Senator Ireti Kingibe Attacked at ADC Secretariat, Alleges Hostage-Taking

Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, has detailed a violent assault she and others endured at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secretariat in Abuja on Thursday. She described the incident as a shocking and deeply unprovoked act of political thuggery.

Kingibe stated that she went to the party’s Gudu secretariat to observe the transparent distribution of materials for the ADC FCT National Assembly primary elections. The meeting initially proceeded peacefully in the presence of aspirants and stakeholders.

The situation turned violent when a man identified as Tijani Mubarak entered with four other men. According to the senator, Mubarak became aggressively rude and verbally abusive toward the committee chairman. “Instantly, Mubarak became aggressively rude,” Kingibe recounted, adding that he then “violently slapped the Chairman of the Committee.”

As chaos erupted, thugs accompanying Mubarak attacked a female House of Representatives member who was recording the incident. The senator then became a direct target. “As I witnessed this lawlessness, one of Mubarak’s men turned on me. He reached out, grabbed me, and flung me violently against the wall, hitting my head against the wall with severe force,” Kingibe narrated.

Kingibe later sought medical attention at Wuse General Hospital, where doctors confirmed she had suffered significant head trauma, leading to blurred vision and severe headaches. The senator also alleged that the attackers locked doors and blocked exits, effectively holding those inside hostage.

In her official statement, Kingibe framed the assault as an attack on democracy itself. “What occurred was not just an assault on our physical persons; it was a direct attack on democracy, the rule of law, and the safety of women participating in Nigerian politics,” she said.

She particularly condemned the treatment of the female aspirant who was attacked. “No woman aspiring to public office should ever be subjected to such treatment,” Kingibe stated.

The matter has been formally reported to the Apo Police Station in Abuja. Kingibe has called on the Inspector General of Police and the FCT Commissioner to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of everyone involved. “I may be shaken by the incident, but I remain fully committed to serving the people of the FCT without fear,” she said.

The incident follows weeks of internal turmoil within the ADC’s FCT chapter. Just days before the attack, a Federal High Court struck out a suit seeking to bar Kingibe from party activities, imposing a N20 million fine against the plaintiffs and their counsel for filing a frivolous case over her alleged suspension.