Residents of Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Saturday disrupted a political rally organised by the City Boy Movement (CBM), carting away several empowerment materials that were meant for distribution at the event held in support of President Bola Tinubu’s possible re-election campaign in 2027.
TRUETELLS NIGERIA reports that the rally, which drew a large crowd to the venue in Owerri, was organised by supporters of the president under the platform of the City Boy Movement, a group known for mobilising grassroots backing for Tinubu’s administration.
The event, however, turned chaotic after some aggrieved residents reportedly stormed the gathering, causing confusion and forcing many attendees to flee the scene.
Eyewitnesses said the rally initially attracted a significant turnout but quickly descended into disorder due to what appeared to be poor crowd control.
Videos circulating online showed a large number of people running in different directions while others scrambled to grab items brought to the venue for distribution as part of an empowerment programme.
Some residents were seen carrying away sewing machines, refrigerators and other materials believed to be part of the empowerment packages intended for selected beneficiaries.
Within minutes, the venue became disorderly as shouting and pushing spread across the crowd, with many participants either attempting to escape the commotion or secure the items.
Additional footage from the scene showed dozens of people leaving the rally ground with various items believed to have been prepared for distribution during the programme.
The City Boy Movement is among several political support groups working to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, although the president has not formally declared his intention to seek a second term.
As of the time of filing this report, the organisers of the rally and security agencies in Imo State had not released an official statement regarding the incident. It also remains unclear whether anyone sustained injuries during the disruption.
