Two national officials of the Coalition of Northern Groups,CNG have been “picked by men suspected be security personnel” on Thursday in Kaduna, Abdul Azeez Suleiman,spokesman of the coalition disclosed in a statement.
According to Suleiman, “The BOT Chairman of CNG, Nastura Ashir Shariff and the national Coordinator, Balarabe Rufai have been picked by men suspected to be Security personnel this afternoon Thursday, February 04.
He said “Reasons for their arrest not yet known as we are still working to establish connection with them or trace where they are taken to.
The spokesman added that “their phone lines have been unreachable for the past two hours.”
Narrating the events preceding the arrest, Sueleiman said, “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.. 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.
“As we left the NAF Club and were driving along adjacent 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.”