The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised alarm over the alleged unjustified sealing of its headquarters in Kaduna by officers of the Nigeria Police Force. This action comes just hours before the Forum’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, 2026.
In a statement released to the press, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Muhammad-Baba, expressed dismay at what he described as an arbitrary and baseless closure. He noted that the only explanation for the police action is a brief unsigned circular, purportedly authored by Bashir Dalhatu, Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees (BOT), which claims the meeting has been canceled because it was convened by the Forum’s Secretary General.
Prof. Muhammad-Baba stressed that the ACF is not aware of any court order or legal restriction that would justify such a drastic measure. He further clarified that, according to the ACF Constitution, the BOT Chairman has no authority over matters beyond those outlined in Section 8 of the same constitution. The meeting in question was called by the ACF Chairman, Mamman Osuman, under Sections 20(3) and 13(3)(c) of the constitution, which explicitly grant the Chairman the power to convene meetings, irrespective of any debates regarding the tenure of the Secretary General.
The statement emphasized that both the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, which occurred earlier in the day, and the NEC meeting were conducted with prior notification to relevant security agencies, including the Nigeria Police. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for sealing the office. The ACF strongly urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, to direct the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police to immediately unseal the headquarters. With delegates already arriving in Kaduna for the NEC meeting, the Forum hopes for a swift and rational resolution to this matter.