Precious Oruche, an activist from Edo State widely recognized as ‘Mama Pee,’ has been detained following a tense encounter with Julius Abure, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The confrontation quickly gained widespread attention online, igniting debates and conflicting narratives from both sides involved.
Reports indicate that the incident unfolded as Abure was preparing to board a Max Air flight bound for Benin City. Mama Pee reportedly confronted him, accusing him of being responsible for the difficulties Nigerians are currently enduring.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the activist approached Abure and said, “Isn’t this Julius Abure? You’re the one causing suffering for Nigerians.” When Abure questioned, “How so?” she insisted, “If no one has told you yet, you are the one frustrating Nigerians.”
She continued, “Are you not Julius Abure? What are you doing with the Labour Party now? The police are after you. You have ruined the Labour Party, yet you’re boarding a plane? May justice prevail against you all.”
The situation reportedly escalated upon their arrival in Benin City. At the Benin Airport, Mama Pee was allegedly confronted by a group of young men believed to be loyalists of Abure.
A video circulating on social media captures a chaotic scene at the airport exit, where several individuals attempt to forcibly remove the activist before security and immigration officers intervened.
In one of the videos, Mama Pee claimed she was physically attacked by the group. “Look at them! They want to harm me just because I told Julius Abure that he is the cause of Nigerians’ suffering. Then he sends thugs after me. Can you see them?” she exclaimed.
She further stated, “I confronted Julius Abure on the Max Air flight, telling him he is frustrating Nigerians’ lives and that he sold out the Labour Party. Then he sent his thugs to wait for me at Benin Airport.”
In response to the incident, fellow activist Peter Randy-Akah, known as ‘Peter for Nigeria,’ released a video demanding Mama Pee’s immediate release.
He appealed to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebolo and the Edo State Police Commissioner, Monday Agbonika, urging them to intervene promptly.
Akah described Mama Pee as a victim of political intimidation who has been unjustly treated as a suspect by law enforcement.
Conversely, the faction of the Labour Party led by Abure issued a statement condemning what they described as an “unprovoked assault” on their chairman.
According to the statement from the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Mama Pee initiated the confrontation at Abuja Airport while Abure was boarding his flight to Benin.
“The attack, witnessed by many onlookers, persisted even after disembarkation at Benin Airport, with Mama Pee continuing to record the incident,” the statement said.
It added that security personnel had to swiftly escort Abure to safety, while Mama Pee was taken into police custody for questioning.
The statement also accused Mama Pee, identified as a prominent member of the ‘Obidient’ Movement, of boasting in a video about her connections with senior police officials.
“She declared she would persist in targeting Abure and other Labour Party executives, claiming, ‘You have destroyed the Labour Party and are the reason Obi left the party,'” Ifoh stated.
The Labour Party faction called for a comprehensive investigation, urging the Inspector General of Police to examine what they described as acts of cyberbullying and political incitement.
“We firmly believe that this individual was acting on behalf of her sponsors,” the statement asserted.
“We call on Labour Party members to remain composed despite this unwarranted provocation and await the results of the inquiry into this unprovoked attack on the party’s leadership.”
At the time of this report, efforts to reach Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered.
