A key promoter of Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, Precious Oruche, aka Mama P, has been arrested.
The popular activist was arrested by the Edo State Police Command.
Her arrest is not unconnected with the airport brawl involving her and the factional National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure.
Mama P was detained at the Edo State police Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Benin.
This was disclosed by the National Coordinator of Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko via an X post on Saturday.
He wrote: "Mama P has been detained at state CID @ Edo state police headquarters off sapele road Benin city.
"I have just spoken to our legal Director to deploy lawyers to her rescue. We want more people to come for her rescue; lawyers and all concerned should please mount immediately. We need everyone's support for her NOW."
Condemning her arrest, activist lawyer, Inibehe Effiong demanded the immediate arrest of Abure.
He said the decision of the police to detain Mama P after she survived a vicious physical assault unleashed on her by criminal elements and thugs, following her encounter with Mr. Julius Abure at the airport was condemnable and utterly disgraceful.
“By choosing to target the victim of a violent attack perpetuated by thugs, Nigerians have been forced to deal yet again, with another cowardly and unprofessional action by the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Edo State Police Command should move beyond this travesty and macabre dance, and immediately release Mama P. She has not committed any offence known to law.
“Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) guarantees every person the right to freedom of expression. Mama Pee was only exercising her right to free speech when she questioned Julius Abure about his questionable political activities.
“There is no law in Nigeria that shields a politically exposed person from being heckled, yelled at, or questioned by aggrieved citizens in public spaces.
“Every enlightened person knows that such non-violent acts of protestation is a regular occurrence in civilized countries. We have been seeing Presidents, Kings, and Prime Ministers across the world being held accountable through heckling.
“President Trump, despite his disposition towards heckling, has faced protesters in public spaces who heckled regularly at him,” he said, noting that Mama P did not assault or touch Julius Abure in any manner.
"She stood few meters away from Abure.
"All that she did was to ask him if he was not Julius Abure, and that he was the one frustrating Nigerians. She did not go beyond verbal protestations. She wasn’t even screaming at him.
“The fact that the thugs were summoned to waylaid her upon landing in Benin shows that the assault on her was premeditated.
“It is scandalous that airport officials and security personnel at the airport stood by, and allowed the thugs to attack Mama P.
“The Minister of Aviation should cause an investigation to be carried out on the role of the airport security personnel in this heinous crime.
“The fact that Mama P is currently under detention with a bloodied body, because she questioned Julius Abure about his role in the crisis in the Labour Party, speaks to the institutional rottenness and endless impunity in the police.
“The Edo State Commissioner of Police should be bold enough to state publicly whether he is still a law enforcement officer, or a supporter of violent criminals.
“Julius Abure, his brother, and the thugs who aided them should be immediately arrested and prosecuted for the violent attack on Mama P,” he demanded.
Meanwhile, in Abure’s own account of the airport incident, he said he was attacked by Mama P, and demanded her immediate arrest.
