Commotion brings Lagos APC flag-off campaign to abrupt end

* Journalists shot, MC Oluomo stabbed as ‘thugs’

Violence erupted on Tuesday as suspected political thugs
disrupted the governorship campaign rally of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in Lagos.

Several people were injured in the violence, including three
journalists who sustained bullet wounds.

The hoodlums, said to be members of the National Union Road
Transport Workers (NURTW), invaded the Skypower Ground Ikeja venue
of the campaign with guns, daggers and other dangerous weapons.

Musiliu Akinsanya, a strong member of the party and NURTW leader
popularly known as MC Oluomo, was reportedly stabbed by rival
factions of the party.

He is currently on admission in a hospital.

The violence broke out mid-way into the programme, cutting short
the event as the hoodlums were said to have shot sporadically in
different directions, engaging each other in a fight.

Members of the party scampered for safety to avoid being hit by
bullets being fired indiscriminately by the hoodlums, while
security operatives tried to control the situation.

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos; Idiat Adebule, his deputy;
Babajide Sanwoolu, the APC governorship candidate in the state, and
other prominent members of the party were escorted out of the
venue.