Police Operatives have sealed off the Secretariat of the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, preventing members of its National Executive Committee from accessing the venue ahead of a crucial meeting scheduled for Wednesday. The action has sparked confusion and tension, as members who travelled from across the 19 northern states……
Police Operatives have sealed off the Secretariat of the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, preventing members of its National Executive Committee from accessing the venue ahead of a crucial meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
The action has sparked confusion and tension, as members who travelled from across the 19 northern states were denied entry on arrival.
An NEC member, Muritala Abubakar, described the move as unwarranted, insisting there is no crisis within the Forum to justify the police action.
He says officers on ground claimed they were acting on instructions from a former Inspector General of Police, raising further concerns over the development.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Bashir Dalhatu, had earlier declared the planned NEC meeting illegal, urging members to stay away to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Dalhatu insists the notice convening the meeting was issued by a former Secretary General whose tenure has expired and who lacks the authority to summon such a gathering.
However, the NEC Chairman maintains the meeting remains valid, citing provisions of the Forum’s constitution and directing members to attend as scheduled.
Despite the standoff, the Forum says the meeting will go ahead, as investigations begin into those behind the police action and efforts continue to regain access to the secretariat.
