Police brutalise LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, whisk him away
Abure traumatised
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Hours to the Labour Party governorship primaries in Edo, the Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, has been arrested by the police in Benin, Edo State capital.
Abure’s arrest comes two days after Labour Party state chairmen passed a vote of confidence in him amid allegation of financial impropriety levelled against him by the party’s suspended treasurer, Mrs Oluchi Oprah.
Mrs. Oprah had accused Abure of misappropriating over N3 billion out of the N3.5 billion raised for the 2023 election campaigns.
“Apart from the proceeds of the sale of forms from his home state of Edo – which was diverted to Mr Abure’s private accounts, he only declared N55 million to me as Treasurer, of the over N3.5 billion raised, pocketing the rest for himself,” Oluchi had claimed.
In what looks like a chaotic scene, police officers stormed Abure’s residence and forcefully arrested him amid protest by supporters.
According to some party loyalists, the order to arrest Abure came from Abuja and was effected by police and Department of State Services (DSS).
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The reason for Abure’s arrest, according to party officials, was to destabilise the Labour Party ahead of the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election.
There are also reports that the arrest followed a petition by the LP Youth Leader, Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia.
The petition, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, dated February 13, partly reads, “I, Comrade Eragbe Anselm, write to you with utmost urgency and grave concern regarding a heinous act of violence perpetrated against me on the 29th of December 2023.
“I am a member and National Youth Leader of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria, and the events I am about to recount are of utmost importance for justice and the safety of individuals involved in political activities.
“On December 28, 2023, I flew into Benin City Airport around 2 p.m. as part of an official 5-member delegation authorised by the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa.
“Our mission was to organise Ward, LGA, and State Congresses in Edo State, as well as supervise the sale of nomination forms for various posts, as mandated by INEC guidelines, within the stipulated time frames.
“On arrival at the Benin Airport, I was received by one Mrs Mary Okheime Newberry, who falsely claimed to be providing transportation and accommodation on behalf of unnamed “stakeholders.”
“She proceeded to lodge us at the Smart Homes Hotel, unknown to us that she was plotting a sinister and gruesome ambush. The next morning, a man named Austin Emeka came to pick me and my colleague, Mr Patrick Anethua, up from the hotel lobby, pretending to take us to a meeting venue.
“Instead, we were violently attacked just outside the hotel gates by a waiting mob.”