Panic gripped residents of the Imo State capital in the early hours of Sunday, July 19, 2026, as unidentified hoodlums launched a coordinated attack on the state secretariats of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the Action People’s Party (APP).
​The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 a.m. along Okigwe Road, Owerri, where the administrative offices of both opposition parties are located side-by-side.
​According to security guards on duty, a group of armed men arrived in two unmarked vehicles, wielding sledgehammers and machetes. The attackers systematically pulled down, defaced, and destroyed large campaign billboards, signposts, and branding materials belonging to both parties.
Local sources disclosed that the hoodlums also attempted to smash the security doors to gain access into the offices, but retreated into the night when night watchmen raised a loud alarm, attracting the attention of nearby residents.
​Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, the Imo State Chairman of the APP, Chief Collins Ugochukwu, condemned the incident, describing it as a direct assault on democracy and a blatant attempt to intimidate opposition voices in the state.
​”This was a calculated, simultaneous raid on two neighboring opposition parties. They didn’t just break billboards; they tried to break into our offices. We are calling on the Inspector General of Police to intervene before political violence consumes Imo State,” Ugochukwu stated.
​The YPP leadership echoed these sentiments, noting that the destruction comes on the heels of growing political alignments among opposition parties in the region ahead of future electoral cycles.
​In a statement released hours after the incident, the Imo State Government, through the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Declan Emelumba, strongly denied any involvement of state actors or the ruling party. Emelumba described the attack as “highly condemnable” and cautioned opposition politicians against making inflammatory, unverified statements to score cheap political points.
​Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command has deployed a team of forensic experts to the scene. Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, confirmed that an investigation has been launched, assuring the public that CCTV footage from nearby business premises is being reviewed to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
