Kingibe Alleges Assault, Hostage-Taking At ADC Secretariat

Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has accused one Tijani Mubarak and his associates of violently attacking her and other party members during a disturbance at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) state secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

Kingibe made the allegation in a press statement she shared to journalists on Sunday, describing the incident as “barbaric,” “premeditated,” and “a direct attack on democracy, the rule of law, and the safety of women participating in Nigerian politics.”

According to the senator, the incident occurred at about 3pm at the ADC secretariat located at Adisa Estate, Gudu, Abuja, where she had gone in her capacity as the senator representing the FCT to observe the distribution of materials for the ADC National Assembly primary elections.

She said members of the primary election committee and several House of Representatives aspirants were present during the exercise, which she described as peaceful before the arrival of Mubarak and four other men.

“Upon my arrival, the Primary Elections Committee was present, alongside three or four House of Representatives aspirants.

“We held a brief, peaceful meeting where the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Abubakar Adams Chika, alongside the Committee Secretary, Mr. David Godwin Itopa, explained the process to us all and opened the election materials in our presence.”

Kingibe alleged that tension escalated after Mubarak entered the room and was questioned by the committee chairman over phone calls allegedly made earlier in the day.

“Instantly, Mubarak became aggressively rude, raising his voice and speaking in an accusatory manner,” she said.

“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.”

The senator further alleged that a female House of Representatives aspirant was assaulted after attempting to record the altercation on her mobile phone.

“Seeing the danger, a female House of Representatives aspirant present began using her phone to record the altercation. Infuriated by this, Mubarak ordered his thugs to seize her phone,” Kingibe alleged.

“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.”

Kingibe explained, “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 said.

She disclosed that, “As the assailant advanced toward me to continue his assault, my security detail courageously stepped between us, engaging and fighting the thug to keep him away from me,” she added.

The senator further alleged that the attackers locked the exit doors, effectively trapping those inside the building.

“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.

According to her, “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,” she alleged.

Kingibe said, “The gridlock only eased when Mubarak, after being beaten by party supporters, finally fled the premises, freeing the office gate which he had blocked using his personal vehicle to prevent any vehicles from leaving.”

The senator disclosed that she later reported the incident to the ADC national leadership and lodged a formal complaint at the Apo Police Station in Abuja.

She added that, “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.”

Kingibe called on the Inspector General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police to immediately arrest and prosecute Mubarak and his alleged accomplices.

“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 said.

“They must answer for criminal trespass, assault causing grievous bodily harm, holding us to ransom, and political thuggery.”

The senator also demanded a comprehensive investigation into what she described as a coordinated attack, insisting that violence against women in politics must not be tolerated.

“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 female aspirants and the physical assault on my person will not be swept under the carpet,” she said.

“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.”