BILLBOARDS DESTROYED AS HOODLUMS RAID LABOUR PARTY SECRETARIAT IN ABUJA

Suspected hoodlums on Tuesday night vandalised the national secretariat of Nigeria’s Labour Party in Abuja, tearing down billboards belonging to the party’s Acting National Chairman, Hadjia Nnanadi Usman, amid an ongoing internal leadership crisis.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. at the party’s headquarters in Utako district, where assailants forced their way into the compound and removed a large banner mounted inside the premises.

According to witnesses, a car and a tricycle dropped off several individuals near the secretariat before they broke the padlock on the gate and entered the compound. The group reportedly split into two, with some heading toward the main building while others targeted the billboard.

“They climbed the fence, pulled down the banner, and dragged it to a waiting vehicle before driving away,” one eyewitness said.

Police patrol vehicles arrived at the scene about 45 minutes later, witnesses said, after the assailants had fled. The delayed response raised concerns among residents and party members, as the Utako Divisional Police Headquarters is located a short distance from the Labour Party office.

A police spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. When contacted, officers at the Utako police station said senior officers were not on ground at the time of inquiry.

The attack comes amid heightened political tension within the Labour Party following disputes over its national leadership. Party officials described the vandalism as an act of intimidation linked to the internal crisis and called on security agencies to investigate the incident.

“This is an attempt to destabilise the party and intimidate its leadership,” a party official said. “We expect the police to identify and prosecute those responsible.”

Security concerns have increased in the Utako–Jabi axis in recent weeks, following reports of violent incidents in areas close to the party secretariat.