The Enugu State Police Command has ordered a full investigation into an alleged shooting outside the secretariat of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), amid heightened political activity in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
Commissioner of Police Mamman Bitrus Giwa directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to identify and arrest those responsible for the incident, according to police spokesman Daniel Ndukwe.
The reported shooting occurred at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, in front of the NDC secretariat in Enugu.
Police said a man who was repairing a vehicle parked along the road sustained a suspected gunshot injury. The windscreens of five vehicles were also reportedly damaged.
Responding to a distress call, police officers moved to the scene, restored order and took the injured man to hospital. He was said to be in stable condition.
The police have not identified the suspected attackers or established their motive, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
Separate disturbance at Enugu airport
The police also disclosed that another security incident occurred earlier the same day at the entrance to Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
At about 11:30 a.m., joint police and military personnel reportedly dispersed NDC supporters who had gathered at the airport to receive the party’s governorship candidate.
According to the police, airport authorities had restricted the number of party supporters allowed into the facility.
A disagreement subsequently developed among the supporters and escalated into a fight, prompting the intervention of security personnel.
The NDC’s governorship candidate had arrived in Enugu ahead of the party’s campaign activities.
Independent reporting on the airport incident also described scenes of panic and sporadic gunfire as supporters fled the area. Premium Times reported that the supporters had gathered to welcome the party’s candidate, Chinyeaka Ohaa, although accounts of the events and responsibility for the violence differ.
Police warn political parties against violence
Giwa urged political parties and their supporters to conduct their activities peacefully and comply with existing laws and political peace agreements.
He also called on political organisations to notify the police ahead of planned events so that appropriate security arrangements could be made.
The commissioner said the command remained committed to providing a level playing field for all political parties in the state.
The latest incidents come against the background of other reported attacks involving political gatherings in Enugu in recent weeks.
On September 12, unidentified armed men reportedly disrupted an NDC ward meeting in Ndiuno-Obuoffia, Nkanu West Local Government Area, with two people reported injured. A separate PDP gathering in Agbani was also disrupted the same day. The police subsequently ordered investigations into both incidents.
The recurrence of violence around political activities has increased concerns about the security environment ahead of the 2027 elections.
For now, the police investigation into the October 10 shooting is expected to establish who fired the shots, the circumstances that led to the incident and whether it was connected to the political activities taking place in Enugu.
