Alex Ikwechegh, Elisha Abbo.. top Nigerian politicians who trended for ‘assault’
As politicians continue to trend for assault, the public has condemned such behaviour, viewing it as a gross abuse of human rights and of power. Recent incidents, particularly the assault by Alex Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives, have highlighted this issue.
Ikwechegh was seen in a viral video slapping a Bolt driver and threatening to make him “disappear” for asking him to come outside to collect a delivery. This incident reflects a troubling trend where political figures misuse their positions to intimidate and threaten those they are meant to serve, undermining public trust and safety.
In this article, we shall explore other politicians who have trended for alleged assault.
Elisha Abbo
The first politician on our list who trended for assault is Elisha Abbo.
In 2019, Senator Elisha Abbo was filmed assaulting Osimibibra Warmate, a female attendant at a sex toy shop in Abuja. The accusations noted he slapped her multiple times and ordered his security aide to remove her from the shop. Initially, a magistrate court dismissed the criminal case against him despite video evidence, but a few months later, Warmate filed a civil suit on 28 September 2020; then in 2021, the Federal Capital Territory High Court found Abbo guilty and ordered him to pay ₦50 million in damages. The issue trended for almost two years.
Yahaya Bello
Yahaya Bello, a former Nigerian governor, also trended for assault. He faced multiple accusations of physically assaulting protesters and ordinary citizens during demonstrations against his administration. In his case, specific incidents have drawn media attention; however, formal charges or legal consequences have not been widely reported. The public outcry has led to calls for accountability but has not resulted in significant legal actions against him.
Dino Melaye
Dino Melaye notably trended in 2018 during protests against the government. He was involved in physical confrontations with citizens and security personnel. He has trended for assault in the sense that his actions have led to trending discussions on social media; however, no formal legal repercussions have been documented against him for these altercations.
Fani-Kayode
Fani-Kayode: Fani-Kayode was also accused of verbally assaulting a journalists during a press conferences and public appearances. The video indicated that he called the journalist “stupid.”Just like Dino Melaye, whilst he faced significant public backlash and criticism on social media, there were no formal charges or legal actions reported against him.
Chris Uba
Another Nigerian politician Chris Uba was also accused of physically assaulting artisans who demanded payment for work done on his London home. An online report stated that the incident, captured on video, shows Uba confronting the workers after they sought their due compensation.
These few incidents of politicians who have trended for public assault, though the list is not exhaustive, demonstrate how politicians whose responsibility is to protect their followers harass them instead.
The recent case of Alex Ikwechegh has increased the number of these politicians trending for assault. These incidents have raised concerns about their conduct and accountability as public servants, reflecting broader issues regarding the behaviour of political figures towards ordinary citizens in Nigeria.
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