(DDM) – Security operatives in Kaduna on Thursday sealed off the state secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), intensifying political tensions in the state.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the action took place at No. 4 Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, just hours before a scheduled visit by the North-West leadership of the party.
Witnesses reported a heavy deployment of police patrol vans around the building, effectively preventing access to the party’s office.
The visit by ADC leaders was intended to console members who were injured during last week’s attack by suspected political thugs.
That attack occurred at a coalition meeting between the ADC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The gathering, held at the NUT Endwell Conference Hall in Magadishu Layout, was violently disrupted by hoodlums.
Vehicles were damaged, windows smashed, and several participants were left wounded during the incident.
Observers expressed concern that the violence occurred despite the presence of armed policemen who had been deployed to stop the meeting.
Opposition figures have linked the hostility to growing political friction between former governor Nasir El-Rufai and his successor, Governor Uba Sani.
Analysts warn that Kaduna could be heading for a turbulent political season if the clampdown on opposition parties continues.
Amid the unfolding crisis, ADC chieftain Yusuf Shehu Bello has dragged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police to court.
Through his lawyer, Farouk Dikko, Bello filed an interlocutory injunction at the Federal High Court.
The suit seeks to restrain the police from suspending or interfering with lawful political gatherings in Kaduna State.
Bello argued that the recent police directive requiring political parties to obtain clearance before holding meetings in hotels or public places was unconstitutional.
He insisted that the Nigeria Police Force had no legal powers to halt political activities.
Speaking to journalists after filing the case, Bello stated that the police’s role was to provide security and maintain peace, not suppress freedom of association.
“We are in court to protect our democratic rights,” he said.
Political observers fear that restricting party activities undermines democratic space and sets the stage for unrest ahead of the 2027 elections.
Opposition leaders have already warned that the police clampdown could escalate hostilities between rival camps in the ruling elite.
Civil society organizations are also expected to weigh in on the matter in the coming days.
For now, the ADC secretariat in Kaduna remains sealed under tight security, deepening concerns over the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
