Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, has criticised a gun attack at the Benin City residence of former All Progressives Congress national chairman John Odigie Oyegun, saying the incident reflects worsening insecurity and political tension.

Obi spoke in a video recorded at the scene after gunmen opened fire outside the property, leaving visible bullet marks on the gate and damaging several vehicles.

The attackers did not gain entry into the compound and no casualties were reported, but the incident drew attention because of the senior political figures present at the location.

“This is where our democracy has reached. A former governor, and you can see what happened in front of his house, where hoodlums came shooting,” Obi said while pointing to the damaged entrance.

Read also: Atiku Reacts To Assassination Attempt On Peter Obi In Edo

The attack occurred shortly after Obi, Odigie Oyegun and other political leaders attended the public declaration of lawyer Olumide Akpata into the African Democratic Congress in Benin, the Edo State capital. Witness accounts and video footage circulating online showed multiple bullet impacts on the estate gate and nearby vehicles.

Obi said such incidents should not become normal in public life. “I assure you this cannot continue; we have a country, and we are a part of it. We cannot have terrorism and have officials in government terrorising the citizens,” he added.

Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, said the attackers appeared to have followed the political delegation from the ADC secretariat to Odigie Oyegun’s residence.

He described the shooting as an attempted assassination and said the assailants targeted the gathering of political figures.

“The leadership of the ADC is under siege and attack in Benin, Edo State. Armed individuals followed us from the ADC Secretariat to the residence of Chief John Odigie Oyegun and shot at the gate, destroying several vehicles,” Tanko said.

Authorities have not released an official account of the incident or identified suspects.

Security agencies were yet to confirm whether the attack was politically motivated or connected to broader criminal activity, a distinction investigators often assess in incidents involving prominent figures.

Read more: Obi Joins Protesters Demanding Election Transparency

Odigie Oyegun, a former governor of Edo State and one time national chairman of the APC, has remained influential in political discussions in the state.

The presence of multiple politicians at his residence following a party event increased concern about the potential implications of the shooting.

The episode comes amid heightened political activity in parts of southern Nigeria, where party alignments and defections are reshaping local political structures ahead of future elections.

Public events involving high profile politicians frequently attract large gatherings, and security arrangements are often reviewed after incidents involving armed attacks.

No group has claimed responsibility. Security authorities are expected to review surveillance footage and witness accounts as part of the investigation into how the gunmen approached the residence and carried out the shooting before leaving the area.