Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kaduna State Police Command has firmly rejected reports that it sealed the national headquarters of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Tuesday, insisting instead that its officers were deployed to the Sokoto Road secretariat to prevent a violent clash between two rival factions that had both notified the police of plans to hold separate meetings at the same venue and time. The clarification came after the ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tanko Muhammad Baba, issued a statement accusing the police of illegally locking down the premises without a court order, a move the forum described as lacking any legal basis and motivated by "unstated motives."
The Police Public Relations Officer in Kaduna State, DSP Mansur Hassan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the command acted on intelligence reports and written notifications received from two different groups within the ACF, each indicating plans to use the facility concurrently. "We received intelligence and letters from the two factions that want to hold meetings there. To prevent clashes is why we made the deployment. We cannot allow breakdown of law and order or clash between any group," Hassan said. He added that the deployment was necessary to sustain the relative peace currently enjoyed in Kaduna State. "Once there is a clash, there must be a breakdown of law and order. So, as Kaduna State is enjoying relative peace, we cannot allow such things to happen. That is why we prevented it," he stated. The police spokesman further clarified that the officers did not seal the headquarters but only positioned themselves around the facility to maintain order and prevent any confrontation between the rival factions.
The ACF, however, sees the matter differently. In its statement, the forum described the police action as "illegal and unjustified," insisting that there was no security threat to warrant such deployment. The ACF noted that an earlier meeting had been conducted peacefully and that relevant security agencies, including the police, had been duly informed. The only hint about the development, according to the ACF, was an unsigned circular allegedly attributed to the Chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), Bashir Dalhatu, suggesting that the NEC meeting had been cancelled. The forum rejected this claim, maintaining that the BoT chairman lacked the constitutional authority to cancel meetings of its statutory organs. "The ACF is unaware of any court order against it nor any directive curtailing its functions," the statement read. "Simply stated, the meetings are being called at the instance of the chairman and not the secretary general, irrespective of current arguments about the latter's tenure." The forum called on the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to urgently intervene by directing the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police to unseal the secretariat.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of a deepening leadership crisis within the ACF, one of northern Nigeria's most influential socio-political bodies. The dispute revolves around the interpretation of tenure limits and the constitutional powers of the Board of Trustees versus those of the National Executive Committee (NEC). According to reports, the BoT, led by Bashir Dalhatu, has declared that the tenures of several key officials, including the Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, expired on March 10, 2026, after serving a maximum six-year single term. Dalhatu stated that a petition by concerned members prompted a review, and the BoT resolved that those officials, including the Deputy Chairman of the BoT and the Vice Chairman, must step down. "The positions became vacant on March 10, 2026," Dalhatu said, adding that the Secretary General was allowed to complete his handover notes by May 15. However, Aliyu, who has the support of NEC Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman (SAN), insists his tenure ends in December and has refused to step down.
Compounding the leadership tussle are serious allegations of financial impropriety. Sources within the ACF told Daily Trust that the lodgement of about N3.9 billion donated to the organisation during its 25th anniversary celebration in November 2025 into a new account at Jaiz Bank, rather than the main accounts in First Bank, UBA or Unity Bank, has caused widespread disaffection. There is also nearly N700 million donated specifically to organise the anniversary, the details of which are being questioned. The ACF Ethics Committee has received a petition regarding the alleged financial irregularities and has confirmed the matter is under review, with a resolution expected within two weeks.
As the leadership factions remain entrenched, some NEC members were reportedly locked inside the premises as police cordoned off the area. Osuman, the ACF Chairman, accused Dalhatu of overstepping his authority and described the situation as a "sacrilege." He insisted that convening NEC and NWC meetings falls squarely within his constitutional powers and called on the Inspector General of Police to intervene. On the other hand, Dalhatu maintained that any meeting called under the current circumstances was invalid and could lead to internal conflict. Some ACF members have called on prominent northern elders, including former heads of state Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, to intervene and help resolve the dispute. The police, meanwhile, maintain that their presence is purely precautionary. "They want to hold meetings at the same time and venue. As a law enforcement agency, we cannot allow a clash. Once there is a clash, there must be a breakdown of law and order," DSP Hassan concluded.
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