The police in Borno have sealed off the state secretariat of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP).
A NAN correspondent, who visited the secretariat located at Abbaganaram area in Maiduguri, on Thursday, met it sealed with Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicle parked at the entrance.
Mohammed Mustafa, chairman of the state chapter of the party, while reacting to the development, described it as “surprising”.
“Rabiu Kwankwaso, our presidential candidate, is expected to visit Maiduguri on Saturday, but we woke up today (Thursday) to see policemen with Amoured Personnel Carrier stationed in front of our secretariat.
“The policemen have prevented party members from going in. The party occupied this secretariat three months ago and it was expected to be formally inaugurated by our presidential candidate on Saturday. He was also expected to hold a meeting with party stakeholders in the state there.
“We have gone to the police command headquarters where we were informed that there was a letter from the state urban planning and development board claiming that the office was located in a residential area and that was why they were ordered to seal it.”
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Mustafa said that the offices of all leading political parties in Maiduguri, particularly APC and PDP, were situated in residential areas and wondered why that of NNPP was singled out.
“To me, this sealing of office is motivated by political reasons. They just want to prevent us from hosting our presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“The excuse that our office is cited in a residential area is frivolous. It is just aimed at undermining the efforts of our party and nothing more than that.
“By the law establishing the urban development board, if a residential area is converted into some purposes other than what is approved by government, the person concerned is served notice and given a minimum of six months,” he said.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Borno, Abdu Umar, simply said that the problem was between the party and the Borno Urban Development Board.
“The police are there to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order,” he told.
