A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State, Olalekan Anjolaiya, has condemned the alleged violent attack on party members during a defection ceremony in Lagos State.

Sunday Telegraph gathered that the ugly incident occurred on Saturday during a defection ceremony to officially welcome the former Labour Party (LP) members into the ADC in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

Narrating the ordeal, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the event was disrupted by unidentified hoodlums who allegedly stormed the initial venue at the LP office in Idimu, forcing party members and officials to flee.

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According to the statement, witnesses said the assailants, over 100 in number, were armed with weapons, including knives and canes and allegedly assaulted anyone they encountered. Some party members were reported to have sustained injuries during the attack.

Despite the disruption, the defection organisers reportedly relocated the ceremony to an alternative venue at the Eco Centre Event in Egbeda.

Speaking on the development, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, described the attack as unprovoked.

The party’s secretary in the council, Mr Moses Akujuobi, alleged that police had earlier halted plans for an open defection ceremony, citing the absence of official approval.

He told NAN that the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, had informed them that only the Commissioner of Police could authorise political gatherings in the state.

Akujuobi further claimed that armed policemen later arrived at the second venue after the hoodlums had left and allegedly sealed off the location.