Police take over APC secretariat in Benue, bar members

The Police in Benue State on Friday prevented the All Progressives Congress (APC) members from accessing the party secretariat to hold a stakeholders’ meeting.

Our correspondent reports that the police took charge of the party’s secretariat very early in the morning and blocked the entrance with their vehicles alongside other security operatives drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Livestock Guards.

Also, the both roads leading to the APC secretariat were condoned off with operational vehicles of the security operatives.

Earlier, the APC leadership under its state Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, had announced a meeting of the APC with select stakeholders and the newly appointed Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Executive Director Housing, Finance and Accounts, Dr. Matthias Byuan, to hold on Friday at the party secretariat in Makurdi.

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But, the state police commnad in a letter signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Samuel Gimba for the Commissioner of Police and addressed to Agada, advised that the meeting be called off.

The police referred to an earlier letter it received from Governor Hyacinth Alia banning all forms of political meetings and gatherings in the state.

The governor in the letter dated February 27, 2024, through his Chief of Staff, Paul Biam banned all forms of political meetings and gathering in the state on account of fragile security situation in the state.

“I write to inform you that His Excellency Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alla has banned all political gatherings in any form, be it inter or intra party or groups in Benue State till further notice.

“This has become necessary following intelligence on the volatility of the security atmosphere in the state,” the letter read in part.

Recall that the internal crisis rocking the APC in the state reached its crescendo recently following the emergency of Benjamin Omakolo as the acting state chairman of the party after a ward exco passed a vote of no confidence on the Agada leadership.

The national secretariat of the party, however, held that Agada remained the substantial chairman of APC in the state.