Armed Security Personnel Seal ACF Secretariat as Crisis Deepens

By Femi Oyelola

Armed security personnel have sealed the national secretariat of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) along Sokoto Road in Kaduna as the leadership crisis rocking the northern socio-cultural organisation deepens.

When our reporter visited the premises at No. 11A, Sokoto Road, Kaduna, armed personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were visibly stationed at the gate.

Visitors and members were turned back and denied access to the building.

The sealing of the headquarters comes amid a fresh petition by the forum’s chairman, Maman Mike Osuman, SAN, OFR, over the reported invasion of the secretariat.

In a petition dated November 9, 2026, addressed to Governor Uba Sani and copied to the Inspector-General of Police, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Osuman raised concerns about developments at the organisation’s national headquarters.

According to the petition, some individuals allegedly gained access to the offices, changed the locks and removed some items without the consent of the forum’s leadership or a search warrant.

Osuman described the development as a matter affecting the institutional integrity of the forum and called on Governor Uba Sani to intervene to prevent further escalation.

“An action of this nature not only affects the sanctity of our corporate headquarters but is also a direct affront to the dignity of the entire Northern Region,” he was quoted as saying in the petition.

He noted that the national secretariat represents the collective heritage of Northern Nigeria, adding that protecting it was essential to preserving the dignity and integrity of the organisation.

The ACF chairman urged the governor to use his good offices to ensure that due process prevailed and that the forum was protected from actions capable of undermining its stability.

The latest development has raised concerns about the extent of the disagreement within the organisation, particularly over control of its national headquarters and the management of its affairs.

It would be recalled that the forum’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had announced the suspension of the chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, over alleged breaches of the organisation’s constitution.

The decision was reportedly taken following an emergency NEC meeting held in Kaduna amid tensions linked to reports that the police had restricted access to the ACF headquarters ahead of a meeting in May 2026.

However, the forum’s Board of Trustees had dismissed the reported suspension of its chairman, describing the action as illegal, unconstitutional and an attempt to destabilise the organisation.

The conflicting decisions have exposed deep divisions among members and stakeholders over who should control the affairs of the influential northern body.

As of the time of filing this report, the secretariat remained sealed and under heavy security surveillance, while efforts to obtain official reactions from the state government and security agencies regarding the petition had yet to yield any results.