Operatives of the Nigeria Police have sealed off the headquarters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The police operatives stormed the NNPP’s secretariat on Thursday with armoured cars and chased out some staff of the party.
The development was confirmed by the party’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso’s media office.
“This morning a combined team of security operatives led by MOPOLS of the Nigerian Police forcefully shut down our state headquarters, destroying facilities, beating, injuring, and chasing out a group of staff, party members, and supporters,” Kwankwaso’s media office said in the statement issued by Muyiwa Fatosa.
“This is coming on the heels of the visit to Borno state by the NNPP national leader and presidential candidate, HE Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ph.D. FNSE to commission the office in two days’ time, Saturday 27th August 2022.”
The media office, which described the incident as “totally unacceptable”, called on the government to wade into the matter.
“This action is totally unacceptable and we condemn it in its entirety. It is glaringly sending a wrong signal as we enter a critical stage of the electioneering period,” the statement added.
“We, therefore, call on the Borno state government to unseal our office and direct the security operatives stationed there to vacate our premises. The police and security agencies must resist any attempt to be used as a tool by some desperate politicians.”
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The party however called on party supporters to remain calm, assuring that this will not “discourage the NNPP and HE Sen. Kwankwaso”.
“We urge all our supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, go on their different businesses, and particularly our party and supporters in Borno state to continue all preparations towards receiving our Presidential Candidate in two days’ time, Saturday, 27th August 2022,” it noted further.
