Some suspected thugs have reportedly attacked members and executives of the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party who came to protest the continued stay of the factional National Chairman, Julius Abure, in office after his controversial suspension last week.

The Labour Party in Edo State had suspended Abure from his Ward 3 in Arue-Uromi, in Esan North-East Local Government Area for anti-party activities.

The letter of suspension dated May 14, 2024, was signed by the Ward Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, and Ward Secretary, Stanley Usiomoh, and another letter of ratification, both of which were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee on Friday night in Benin.

It had stated that the suspension was with immediate effect.

However, the hoodlums, numbering about 20 on Monday were said to have attacked the demonstrators as they alighted from their vehicles, forcing them to retreat into the neighbouring streets.

The journalists covering the protest were not spared as the invaders made frantic attempts to break into the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Utako where they took refuge in the wake of the fracas, according to PUNCH.

Meanwhile normalcy has been restored after the intervention of security operatives who appealed for calm on both sides.