Police Seal Benue APC State Secretariat, Suspend Political Meetings

The Benue State Police Command has sealed the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Makurdi and suspended a scheduled political meeting organized by the Mr. Austin Agada-led Executives.

The decision was made following a directive from Governor Hyacinth Alia, who had earlier banned all forms of political meetings and gatherings in the state due to the volatile security atmosphere.

According to a letter signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Samuel Gimba for the Commissioner of Police, the State Police Command advised Mr. Agada to call off the meetings.

The letter referred to an earlier correspondence from Governor Alia, dated February 27, 2024, which stated that the security situation in the state necessitated a ban on all political gatherings, both inter and intra-party.

The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Paul Biam, explained in the letter that the ban was due to the unprecedented influx of armed herdsmen in the state, which has led to an increasingly charged security atmosphere.

The Police Command was requested to enforce this directive.

In light of this development, the Police sealed off the State Secretariat of the APC on J S Tarka Road in Makurdi early Friday morning, with stern-looking personnel taking charge of the roads leading to the Secretariat.

The scheduled meetings were intended to involve selected stakeholders and the newly appointed Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Executive Director Housing, Finance, and Accounts, Dr. Matthias Byuan.

However, the meetings were suspended following the Governor’s directive and the Police’s subsequent correspondence with Mr. Agada.

The situation in Benue State remains tense as the government and law enforcement agencies work to ensure the safety and security of its citizens amidst the volatile security atmosphere.

As the situation develops, further updates on the status of political meetings and gatherings in the state will be provided.