Julius Abure ‘attacked’ at Abuja airport — LP asks police to probe incident

Julius Abure, factional chairman of the Labour Party (LP),was reportedly attacked on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,Abuja, while waiting to board a Max Air flight to Benin, the Edo state capital. In a statement on Saturday, Obiora Ifoh, national publicitysecretary of the Abure-led faction, said the party chairman was assaulted by awoman identified as Precious Oruche, also known as “Mama P”. Ifoh said the confrontation continued throughout the flightdespite efforts by cabin crew to intervene. The LP spokesperson added that the drama extended to BeninAirport, where security operatives escorted Abure to safety and handed thesuspect to the police. “The attacker, Madam P, who is also a known content creator,continued the attack all through the flight, defying all attempts by the MaxAir attendants to calm her,” the statement reads. “The assault, which attracted a large crowd, continued ondisembarkation at the Benin Airport while she kept recording the scene.” Ifoh alleged that Oruche later released a video where she“boasted of having strong police connections”. “In one of her films released, the lady, who is a prominentmember of the ‘Obidient’ and claimed that she has contacts with the highest policehierarchy, boasted that nothing will happen to her,” he said. “She vowed that she will not stop attacking Abure or anymember of the Labour Party executive because according to her, “you have killedLabour Party, and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party.” The LP factional spokesperson described the incident as “asuicidal aggression” against Abure and accused “anti-democratic forces” ofsponsoring the attack. “We sincerely believe that the lady-agent was on assignmentto accomplish the desires of her paymasters,” he said. “Assault and cyber-bullying are serious crimes underNigerian law, and we expect the police to fish out her sponsors and bring themto book.” He asked party members to remain calm while awaiting theoutcome of the investigation. The attack comes amid a prolonged leadership tussle withinthe LP in which factions are laying claim to the chairmanship despite ruling bythe supreme court.

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