National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barr. Julius Abure, has been released after being arrested and detained by policemen from Zone 5 Headquarters in Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday evening.
Abure reportedly regained his freedom around 3.05am this Thursday morning.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police IG in charge of the zonal headquarters, Mr. Arungwa Nwazule, had alleged that Abure, the Edo State Chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, and three others, were arrested for conspiracy, brutal assault, attempted murder, armed robbery, grievous harm and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
Addressing supporters, who had gathered at the Zone 5 Police headquarters as at the time of his release, Abure likened his ordeal to the travails of freedom fighters all over the world.
According to him, his release followed pressure on the police from several quarters that he did not disclose.
He said police had assured that other arrested with him, including the Edo State LP Chairman, Publicity Secretary and others would be released later on Thursday.
Abure berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for making life unbearable for Nigerians.
A faction of the party had petitioned the National Chairman over a purported mismanagement of N3.5 billion belonging to the organisation.
Abure said, “Let me appreciate all of you for the solidarity, for the support and your commitment. No struggle to liberate the country comes easy. In many countries of the world where freedom fighters have fought for the emancipation of the people, freedom fighters suffer injustice, suffer prosecution and it is what is happening to me and my other colleagues since after the general election.
“After the general election, they have been trying to instigate crises in the party. They try to bring false accusations against us. They talked about forgery against us at a time when it didn’t work. They came with embezzlement.
“Any person that is aggrieved in the party, they go and instigate them to write a petition against us. The irony is that the police even act on those, and at the end of the day, they discover that those things are false.
“Yesterday, we were making arrangements for the Edo State primaries and of course, the police swooped on us and arrested us over what I will not want to discuss now because the investigation is still going on and therefore we would not want to preempt them.
“But I must state clearly that following several interventions, they have graciously released me on bail except for the Edo State Chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi and the youth leader. They (police) have also promised that by the early hours of Thursday, they will release them. We are hoping that they will fulfil their promise and release them.
“Whatever is happening to me will not discourage me from the struggle. We must continue to pursue the cause of the people. We must continue to fight for our people until we liberate them. I have said it, and I will say it again, it is not capturing power that matters. It is what you do with power.
“Today, APC is in power. Life has become more unbearable for the people. Today, the dollar is exchanging for almost N2,000. Fuel today is sold for N700 per litre. There is even scarcity now, and the price is likely going to increase.
“Inflation, even though it is double digit, it is now above 31 per cent, unemployment has increased, and a bag of rice today is sold for N120, 000, and the minimum wage is N30, 000. You can see the paradox. You can see the irony and Nigerians are in for a difficult time.”
