ADC Condemns Lagos Church Attack, Says APC Acting Like Terrorist Organisation

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of behaving “like a terrorist organisation” following a violent attack on its members at a church in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The incident, which occurred last week, took place during a gathering attended by several party leaders, including Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who formally announced his defection to the ADC.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that political thugs linked to the APC stormed the church premises, unleashing violence that left worshippers and members injured, vehicles destroyed, and property carted away.

“The invasion of a church premises by government-backed political thugs is a profound act of desecration by a jittery ruling party who would stop at nothing to silence opposition voices in the country,” Abdullahi said.

The opposition party described the attack as both a sacrilegious assault on a place of worship and part of a wider campaign of intimidation against its members nationwide.

According to the ADC, the Lagos incident fits into a growing trend of harassment across multiple states, pointing to threats against its leaders in Edo, harassment in Kogi, the closure of a private radio station in Niger, attacks on meetings in Kaduna, and violent assaults on convoys in Kebbi.

“With this attack on a church, no one can predict how far this APC under President Tinubu is willing to go in its desperate quest to hold on to power at all costs,” the statement warned.

The ADC also referenced a recent ruling by a Canadian court labelling the APC a terrorist organisation, arguing that the ruling party could only salvage its image by ending its alleged violent campaigns.

“If churches and other places of worship are no longer regarded as inviolable by the APC goons, how then does the party intend to prove to the world that it is not indeed a terrorist organisation? After all, attacking places of worship is what terrorists do,” Abdullahi added.

The party urged the Nigeria Police Force not to allow itself to become an appendage of the ruling party but to uphold its constitutional duty to Nigerians. It demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the Lagos attack and other incidents targeting its leaders.

“The police have a duty to ensure that justice is served swiftly and transparently to the perpetrators of the attack in Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, and all other states where ADC leaders have been threatened and assaulted. Nigerians are watching, and the credibility of our institutions is on trial before the whole world,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC stressed that the APC’s reliance on violence was evidence of failure.

“The APC’s resort to violence and intimidation is a glaring confession of its failure. Rather than present a track record of achievements to the Nigerian people, the APC wants to bulldoze its way into another election season by eliminating opposition. This is the mark of dictatorship,” the statement noted.

Despite the attacks, the ADC vowed to continue engaging Nigerians constructively while defending itself against aggression.

“We will remain undeterred. We are committed to engaging Nigerians peacefully, constructively, and courageously. But we will not fold our arms while our leaders are attacked and our gatherings are turned into battlegrounds. This must stop. And it must stop now,” the ADC declared.