Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, has alleged that she and other party members were violently attacked and briefly held hostage by suspected political thugs during a chaotic incident at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) State Secretariat in Abuja.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Kingibe described the incident as a “barbaric and deeply unprovoked act of political thuggery,” warning that violence and intimidation must not be allowed to undermine internal party democracy or silence women in politics.
The senator said the incident occurred on Thursday, May 21, at about 3pm at the ADC Secretariat located at House A7, Adisa Estate, Gudu, Abuja, where she had gone to observe the distribution of materials for the party’s National Assembly primary elections in the FCT.
According to her, the process had been peaceful until a man identified as Tijani Mubarak allegedly stormed the venue with four others and immediately became confrontational after being questioned by members of the primary election committee.
“Instantly, Mubarak became aggressively rude, raising his voice and speaking in an accusatory manner. When the Chairman rightfully stated that he would not tolerate such disrespect and had nothing further to say to him, Mubarak stood up and violently slapped the Chairman of the Committee,” Kingibe said.
The lawmaker alleged that the situation quickly degenerated after a female House of Representatives aspirant attempted to record the confrontation on her phone.
“Infuriated by this, Mubarak ordered his thugs to seize her phone. These men violently grabbed the female aspirant, lifting her entirely off the ground toward the ceiling as they aggressively wrestled her for the device, injuring her hands in the process,” she stated.
Kingibe further alleged that one of the men later attacked her physically.
“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,” she alleged.
The senator credited her security aides and party supporters for preventing what she described as a potentially more dangerous outcome.
According to her, the attackers allegedly locked the exit doors and trapped party members inside the building before supporters eventually forced their way in to rescue them.
“Realizing 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.
“Upon reaching the ground floor, we discovered that Mubarak’s men had already locked the main exit door and fled with the key. This single action completely exposed their intent: this was a planned, deliberate, and premeditated ambush designed to hold us hostage and inflict maximum harm.”
Kingibe said she later reported the matter to the ADC national leadership and formally lodged a complaint at the Apo Police Station in Abuja alongside other members of the party’s primary election committee.
She added that she was subsequently treated at Wuse General Hospital after experiencing severe headaches and blurred vision.
“I went home and took some painkillers, but when I noticed that my vision was blurred and my headache was very bad, I went to Wuse General Hospital where the doctor said I had suffered severe trauma to my head,” she disclosed.
The senator called on the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police to immediately arrest and prosecute all those allegedly involved in the attack.
“I call upon the Inspector General of Police and the FCT Police Commissioner to immediately order the arrest, thorough investigation, and swift prosecution of the individual known as Tijani Mubarak and all his accomplices,” she demanded.
Kingibe also condemned what she described as violence targeted at women in politics, insisting that the assault on her and the female aspirant must not be ignored.
“As one of the few women serving in the Nigerian Parliament, and as a champion for women’s rights, I state categorically that the barbaric manhandling of a female aspirant and the physical assault on my person will not be swept under the carpet,” she said.
She further demanded a full investigation into what she described as a “premeditated conspiracy,” pointing to the alleged locking of exits and barricading of the office gate during the incident.
Despite the attack, the senator insisted she would not be intimidated.
“To the people of the FCT who I proudly represent, I assure you: I am shaken but entirely unbowed. Cowardly acts of violence will never deter me from performing my constitutional duties or standing up for transparency and justice in our capital,” Kingibe declared.
