Operatives of the Nigeria Police, Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State, have opened up on why they arrested Barr. Julius Abure, the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), in the gestapo manner they did.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Zone,  Tijani Momoh  confirmed the LP chairman’s arrest.

He said: “Yes, the Labour Party National Chairman is here. And, it has to do with a petition  that was referred to this office (Zone 5) from the Inspector-General of Police. 

“But I cannot give the contents of the petition right now.”

Asked if Abure was being detained or just here to write statement and why in dehumanising manner?  

The zone’s spokesman denied dehumanising Abure.

He also said Abure was not being forced to make statement as being alluded, adding that he has been with his lawyer beside him, all the while he was writing the statement. 

“His lawyer is there beside him. Abure wrote all his statements with his lawyer sitting beside him. We did not molest him or anybody. The lawyer comes in and goes out at will,” he said.

Abure was said to have been picked up by police operatives in Benin City Wednesday, in a gestapo manner following an alleged petition against him by a faction of the party said to be led by Mr. Lamidi Apapa.

The petition was forwarded to the zone from the office of the IGP in Abuja for investigation, but there was no instruction that Abure should be dehumanised.

Abure’s arrest was effected barely 48 hours to the party’s governorship primary in his home state, Edo, seen largely as politically motivated especially given the circumstances.