Nigerian Police Seals Off Office Of Baraje-Led PDP

Officers of the Nigeria Police on Saturday stormed the office of the Abubakar Baraje led PDP faction and sealed it off, an action the group has described as the “height of impunity.”

A statement issued by the National Secretary of the Baraje-led group, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola said security forces were mobilised to seal off the office, located off Panama Street, Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday based on a non-existent court injunction which the Tukur faction claimed to have obtained on Friday.

“The whole world knows that Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday refused to grant Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s application for an ex parte injunction against our party’s executive. The Judge asked parties to maintain the status quo. His judgment was a reinforcement of an early order of the Lagos High Court which also asked parties to maintain the status quo. Now, should Nigerians conclude that Tukur’s interpretation of status quo is this crude display of naked power and undisguised impunity?

“We are not at all surprised at this occurrence given the fact that Tukur issued a statement on Friday evening deliberately seeking to mislead the media and the public that Justice Chukwu granted him an injunction against us. We are happy that the ever vigilant Nigerian press ignored him and his falsehood. Now, he is not only willfully disobeying the various courts which have made pronouncements on this matter, he is spicing up his love for impunity with this reckless misuse of state power by misleading the police.” - Channels

The police have sealed off the secretariat of the split faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Abubakar Baraje.
The faction, also known as the 'New PDP', has the support of seven state governors and the ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The office which has been shut down is located Plot 320, off Onyi River Crescent Maitama, Abuja.

According to witnesses, this afternoon Armoured Personnel Carrier and police Hilux vehicles were stationed around the building to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the building.

All the access roads leading to the building was cordoned off by the security operatives in uniform and in mufti.
It was not possible to get any comments on the reason for the closure from the State police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, as he not pick calls to his phone.