There was pandemonium at All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign rally for its governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode in Gbagada, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria today as political thugs clashed at the campaign venue leaving two people in pool of blood after they were stabbed.
The incident occurred minutes before Ambode addressed the crowd at the Gbagada Playing Ground. There was a skirmish at one side of the campaign field as two opposing thug groups brandishing knives, cutlasses, guns and charms attacked one another.
One of the group had come into the venue of the campaign midway into the event that was initially peaceful. They immediately approached the other thug group already at the campaign ground to engage them in a battle of wit.
An eyewitness said one of the thugs brought out a dagger and stabbed his opponent with it and as his victim went to the ground, others descended on him stabbing him severally before the police intervened by shooting into the air to scare away the rampaging thugs.
In the fracas that ensued, dangerous objects were seen in the hands of the thugs as people ran helter-skelter to get out of the enclosed campaign field to avoid being caught in the skirmish.
Another thug was stabbed in the neck as he was seen running away to avoid being killed with his clothes drenched in pool of blood.
A Corps member, serving with Thisday newspaper, Oluremi Oluyemi was manhandled and was dispossessed of his N150,000 and his iPhone. It was gathered that he just withdrew the money from a nearby ATM before entering the venue of the campaign.
The police was able to revive one of the thug that was stabbed. More policemen were drafted to the scene to maintain peace as the thugs were driven out of the venue.
Gunshots were heard outside the campaign ground after the thugs had been driven out by the police.
Sensing danger, many of the APC faithful trooped out of the venue of the campaign ground even while Ambode was speaking and the field was half-empty when Governor Babatunde Fashola began his speech.