Police Barricade ACF Headquarters as Leadership Crisis Deepens

By Tgnews Reporter

Operatives of the Nigeria Police on Tuesday barricaded the headquarters of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna, escalating an ongoing leadership crisis within the influential northern socio-cultural body.

The secretariat, located along Sokoto Road in Kaduna metropolis, was sealed off ahead of a planned National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, with security vehicles stationed at the entrance as of Tuesday evening.

The disputed meeting, convened by NEC Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, was intended to address pressing internal issues. However, tensions flared after the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Bashir Dalhatu, declared the gathering illegal, citing the alleged expiration of tenure of the Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu.

Osuman, in a strongly worded statement titled “ACF Head Office Under Siege,” accused Dalhatu of overstepping his constitutional authority and interfering with NEC functions. He further alleged that he and other officials were locked inside the premises, describing the situation as “a sacrilege.”

In response, Dalhatu insisted that any meeting convened under the authority of Aliyu—whom he claims no longer holds office—is null and void, warning members to stay away to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

The Kaduna State Police Command, however, denied sealing the facility, stating that its presence was purely preventive. Police spokesperson DSP Mansur Hassan explained that intelligence reports indicated two rival factions planned parallel meetings, necessitating intervention to maintain peace.

The crisis, which has simmered for months, centres on a power struggle between the NEC and the BoT, as well as disputes over leadership legitimacy and governance procedures within the forum.

Further complicating matters are allegations of financial opacity involving over ₦3.9 billion reportedly raised during an endowment fund last year. The funds are said to have been deposited in a bank and partly invested, prompting petitions and an ongoing ethics review.

Amid the escalating tensions, some members have called for intervention by elder statesmen, including former heads of state such as Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, to restore unity and credibility to the forum.

There were also unconfirmed suggestions that Sa’adu Abubakar may have intervened, although officials of the Sultanate Council denied any formal involvement.

Observers warn that the deepening rift within the ACF risks weakening its role as a unifying voice for Northern Nigeria, particularly at a time of mounting insecurity and political uncertainty in the region.