By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
A mild drama ensured Thursday in Kaduna as Chairman Board of Trustee (BoT) Coalition of North Group(CNG), Nastura Ashir Shariff and the National Coordinator, Balarabe Rufai were both picked up by men suspected to DSS personnel.
The reasons for their alleged arrest on the afternoon of 4th February 2021, were not yet known as at the time of filling this report.
The Coalition Spokesman Abdul-Azeez Suleiman and the Director Aminu Adams howver said that the duo were picked up on the on their way from NAF Club Kaduna, venue of a botched press conference on the security challenges in the country, billed to be addressed by leaders of the coalition.
A statement by the coalition officials Thursday afternoon also stated that “We are still working to establish connection with them or trace where they were taken to.
Both their phone lines have been unreachable for the past two hours. It may not be unconnected with a planned press briefing by the CNG at the NAF club Kaduna which was botched by the security. The Kaduna DSS director had called us earlier today and tried to threaten us against going ahead with the briefing. We stood our ground and insisted on our right to freedom of association and expression. A few minutes afterwards, we were called from the NAF Club and informed that they were ordered from above to refuse us the use of the Hall. We then went to tell the pressmen who were already gathered at the venue and told them of the development and asked them to disperse because we have suspended the briefing”, the coalition stated.
They continue that “As we left the NAF Club and were driving along adjercent Nagogo road a hooded Peugeot car blocked the lead car which was conveying the two officials and ordered them into the Peugeot and sped off.Journalists, were anxiously waiting at a new venue at katsina road, in an isolated building when told that organizers of the press conference have been pick up by suspected security personnel.
The Director Aminu Adams also told journalists that the duo have been reportedly whisked away to Abuja immediately since they could not find them at Kaduna police command headquarters and other places visited in search of the leaders.
