Labour Party NWC Demands Arrest of Faction Leader Over Abuja Secretariat Raid
The National Working Committee (NWC) of Nigeria’s Labour Party (LP) has formally demanded the arrest and prosecution of former National Chairman Julius Abure and members of his faction, accusing them of a violent raid on the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
At a press conference on Monday, the NWC, led by National Chairman Nenadi Usman, alleged that Abure’s group forcibly invaded the secretariat, destroyed property, including billboards bearing Usman’s image, and issued death threats. The committee claimed the assailants looted sensitive materials, including laptops, financial documents, and official registration records.
The LP leadership stated it has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS), seeking lawful enforcement of court judgments and security for a peaceful takeover of the secretariat. The party noted that security agencies provided coverage for a scheduled operation on February 10, 2026, but that Abure’s faction attacked later.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Julius Abure and others for criminal invasion, contempt of court, impersonation, and threats to constitutional democracy,” the NWC said in a statement. It asserted that the operation, which lasted over 30 minutes, was documented by the raiders themselves on social media, constituting a “disturbing pattern of impunity.”
The party further criticised subsequent press statements from Abure’s group as “a gross representation of facts” and continued impersonation, defying both judicial pronouncements and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party regulator.
This internal conflict follows a prolonged leadership crisis within the Labour Party, underscored by competing court rulings. The NWC’s call for arrest amplifies a dispute that observers say tests the rule of law within Nigeria’s political landscape. Security agencies have yet to publicly comment on the petition or the specific allegations of the secretariat breach. The next steps hinge on law enforcement’s response to the LP’s formal request.
