Warri: Suspected thugs disrupt Obi, Kwankwaso supporters’ rally

Suspected political thugs reportedly disrupted a mobilisation rally involving supporters of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Warri, Delta State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday as members of the Obidient and Kwankwasiya movements were campaigning in the city ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Esther Umoh, identified as a photographer associated with Obi, raised the alarm in a post on X, alleging that politically sponsored attackers targeted members of the campaign team.

Umoh claimed that the alleged attackers confronted members of the entourage of the NDC Delta State governorship candidate as well as other supporters participating in the mobilisation.

“As of this morning, politically sponsored thugs reportedly opened fire on @MamaPee__, @Drmopaul, @dchrisiyovwaye, the Delta State governorship candidate, members of his entourage, and other Obidient and Kwankwasiya supporters who were out campaigning in Warri,” she wrote.

A video circulated alongside the allegation showed people running amid a chaotic scene. A voice in the footage could be heard saying, “Look at the thŭgs, they came to attack us. We must face them. We are fully ready for them.”

The circumstances surrounding the reported incident, including the identity of those involved and whether firearms were actually discharged, could not be independently established from the material cited in the reports.

The development comes amid increasing political mobilisation by supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.

The two politicians are contesting the election on the NDC ticket, with supporters drawn from the Obidient and Kwankwasiya movements playing prominent roles in their grassroots mobilisation.

The reported Warri incident also comes days after Obi’s convoy was blocked during a visit to Benue State, an incident that led to the arrest of 46 suspects by the state police command. The police said an investigation into that incident was ongoing.

The Obi-Kwankwaso support structure, known as the OK Movement, has also recently called for investigations into incidents involving its political activities and urged security agencies to protect political participation ahead of the 2027 polls.