Armed security officers presumed to be policemen attacked and took over the New Nigeria Peoples Party Secretariat in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, on Thursday morning, just days before the inauguration of the State Office in the city’s Abbaganaram area.
According to sources, the party’s leadership hired some laborers to paint the new secretariat ahead of the NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s visit scheduled for the next few days to unveil the secretariat. After the work was completed, some hoodlums suspected to be opposition/political thugs invaded the Secretariat and pasted various posters of their candidates at strategic locations in the premises.
In a phone call, the NNPP leader and senatorial candidate for Borno Central, Hon Mohammed Attom, confirmed the development, saying that the “Secretariat, which is about to be commissioned next week by the national leader and Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been taken over and remains sealed by armed policemen for no reason.”
He went on to say that, in addition to taking over the new secretariat, the police had detained him and transported him to the State Police Command in Maiduguri this morning.
“Yes, I can confirm that I was arrested by police this am Thursday.” I am currently at the Borno State Police Command, and I was warned that my phone would be confiscated very soon.
“I took this opportunity to inform you of the current situation, and kindly assist us in informing the world about what is happening to the NNPP Secretariat and my humble self.”
“I assume that this is not an ordinary occurrence, but the effort of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Governor Babagana Zulum.” Attom bemoaned.
However, in a fast response, the Chairman of the ruling APC in the state, Hon Ali Bukar Dalori, denied Hon Attom’s claim that the APC was behind the sealing of the NNPP Secretariat or the detention of any of its members by the police.
“I want to inform you that the APC in Borno is not linked to the sealing of the NNPP Secretariat, as Hon Attom claims.”
“I am just hearing this from you, and if Hon Attom was detained and is currently in police custody, they should try to resolve their issue or disagreement with the police without dragging our great party, APC, into it.”
When reached, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sani Shatambaya, stated that he was unaware of the event, while the Police Commissioner, CP Abdul Umar, did not react to a text message given to him by our Correspondent at the time of publication.
