Police deny sealing ACF headquarters in Kaduna
Kaduna Police Clarifies Deployment at ACF Headquarters
The Kaduna State Police Command has refuted claims that it sealed off the headquarters of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). In a statement, the command emphasized that officers were dispatched to the location to avert a potential breakdown of law and order between two rival factions within the organization.
This clarification follows rising tensions amid reports that the ACF headquarters had been shut prior to a scheduled National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, raising concerns about an internal leadership dispute within the forum.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansur Hassan, explained that the decision was based on intelligence and written notifications from both factions, each planning to convene simultaneously at the same venue.
“The situation posed a serious risk of confrontation, which the police could not allow to escalate into violence,” Hassan stated. He noted that the overlapping meeting plans could lead to a clash, thereby disrupting the prevailing peace in Kaduna State.
Hassan further clarified that police presence was not a seal-off but a precautionary measure to maintain order and prevent any confrontations. “We cannot allow a breakdown of law and order or clashes between any group,” he added.
The situation arises amid continuing leadership tensions within the ACF, where conflicting claims regarding authority and constitutional interpretation persist, contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty in the influential northern socio-political organization.
