Police seal Benue APC State Secretariat

The state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has been sealed by the police.

The police also stopped the Mr. Austin Agada-led executives of the party from holding its scheduled meeting slated for Friday March 1 and 3, 2024.

The meeting, according to reports, was called by the executives of the APC with selected stakeholders and the newly appointed Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Dr. Matthias Byuan, in Makurdi.

The Benue State Police Commnad, however, in a letter signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Samuel Gimba for the Commissioner of Police, addressed to Mr. Agada, advised that the meetings be called off.

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

It will be recalled that 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 owing to the volatile security situation in the state.

The said letter read: “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.

“It is certainly not news to you how the security atmosphere in the state has charged following the unprecedented influx of armed herdsmen in the state. You are by this notification invited to enforce this directive.”

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Acting on the request by Governor Alia, the Police in a correspondence to Mr. Agada, advised him to suspend the said meetings.

The letter read in part: “I refer to your letter dated February 7, 2024 notifying my office of your intention to hold the State Executive Committee, SEC, meeting of the APC as well as stakeholders meeting of the party on March 1 and 3, 2024 respectively.

“I wish to however request you to suspend the said meetings and all other forms of political meetings till further notice in view of the directive of the Executive Governor of Benue State suspending the holding of all forms of political meetings and gatherings in the State due to the volatility of the security atmosphere in the state.”

Based on the letter for the command, police operatives, early Friday morning, sealed off the State Secretariat of the APC on J S Tarka Road in Makurdi with stern looking Police personnel taking charge of the roads leading to the Secretariat.

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