The Police on Thursday announced the arrest of a former chairman of the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Ahmed Kassim, and two others for alleged breach of peace.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Dibal Yakadi, told the News Agency of Nigeria that a crisis was triggered by an alleged attempt by the former chairman and his loyalists to gain entrance into the Suleja secretariat as the substantive chairman.
Yakadi, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspect was trying to force his way into the council secretariat.
Kassim was removed from office by the legislative arm of the council over allegations bothering on abuse of office.
His removal was later affirmed by the state assembly after investigating his alleged offences.
Since then, litigation over his ordeal had lingered at the state High Court which eventually ruled in his favour, ordering his reinstatement.
But the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Maje, appealed against the judgment at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
NAN reports that the alleged attempt by Kassim to gain access to his former office on Thursday resulted in fracas, grounding activities in the town.
The development led to the blockage of the main federal road linking Suleja to the Federal Capital Territory, thereby forcing motorists to divert.
The Niger police command sent policemen to avert an imminent breakdown of law and order.
There was also a heavy presence of security operatives around the secretariat.
The council’s chairman, Maje who was in his office, appealed for calm, saying security operatives were on top of the situation.
He called on residents to go about their legitimate business.
He explained that the local administration would not tolerate any act capable of bringing confusion into the area.
“We will deal decisively with any person or group of people found tampering with the peaceful atmosphere which our area is known for,” he said.
NAN
