No fewer than 10 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikwuator, Idembia, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, are receiving treatment in various hospitals following an alleged attack by suspected political thugs during a party rally.

The rally, held on Saturday, was organised to welcome Chief Ifeanyi Nworie, a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who recently defected to the PDP.

The event, which was expected to be a celebration of Nworie’s defection, reportedly turned violent when suspected thugs disrupted the gathering and allegedly attacked party supporters.

Eyewitnesses said the incident began at a roadside village square where the rally was initially scheduled to take place.

According to the witnesses, the attackers, who were wearing T-shirts bearing the photograph of a serving federal lawmaker, stormed the venue midway through the programme, disrupted the proceedings and chased away guests.

Fearing for their safety, Nworie relocated the event to his private residence, but the attackers followed participants to the compound, where they allegedly continued the assault.

Plastic chairs, canopies, public address equipment and other property were reportedly destroyed during the incident, while several participants sustained injuries.

In a separate incident, 10 journalists travelling to the venue to cover the rally were allegedly attacked by the suspected thugs.

The journalists were travelling in a vehicle branded “Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)” when the attackers intercepted them.

Tribune Online learnt that the attackers smashed parts of the vehicle and attempted to obtain fuel to set it ablaze before the driver managed to escape.

Reacting to the incident at a press conference in Abakaliki on Sunday, the Ebonyi State PDP…