By Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu~
The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party escalated on Tuesday night after miscreants stormed the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, and vandalised key property.
The attackers specifically targeted the large banner of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Hadjia Nnanadi Usman, which was mounted inside the premises and facing the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.
Eyewitnesses said the drama began around 8:02 p.m. when a car and a tricycle dropped off some of the hoodlums near the secretariat. About five minutes later, at approximately 8:07 p.m., the intruders broke the padlock securing the gate and forced their way into the compound.
“Once they gained access, they split into two groups,” a source familiar with the incident told our correspondent. “While one group moved toward the main entrance of the secretariat, the other went straight for the banner.”
According to the source, two of the miscreants climbed the low perimeter fence, pulled down the large poster of Hadjia Nnanadi Usman and dragged it across the compound to their waiting vehicle.
“They tore it down, bundled it into the boot of the car and sped off,” the eyewitness said.
Residents and party members expressed concern over what they described as a delayed security response. About 45 minutes after the incident and roughly 10 minutes after the hoodlums had fled, two patrol vehicles of the Nigeria Police Force arrived at the scene.
The Divisional Police Headquarters in Utako is located barely 60 metres from the Labour Party secretariat, a proximity that has raised questions about the speed and effectiveness of the response.
“The police station is just a stone’s throw away, yet it took close to an hour before officers showed up,” another source lamented. “It’s troubling, especially given the security challenges in this area.”
The attack comes amid growing insecurity around the Utako–Jabi axis. Only recently, hoodlums from the nearby Jabi Motor Park reportedly killed two people in gardens close to the same police station.
Party officials described the vandalism as part of attempts to intimidate and destabilise the Labour Party during a period of internal tension, calling on security agencies to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“This is not just an attack on our property; it is an attack on democracy and political freedom,” a party official said. “We urge the police to act decisively and ensure that those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.”
When our reporter, who witnessed the criminal vandalisation, contacted the Utako Police Station for further information on the incident, he was told that the DPO was not in the office and that the DCO was out on patrol in Wuse 2, an explanation that raised questions, as such patrols fall outside the station’s jurisdiction and suggested that the officers on duty were being economical with the truth.
Watch video of the incident:
