APC national secretariat entrance sealed   

Acting on a tip-off of a planned protest by some aggrieved party members, armed policemen were on Wednesday drafted to the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Police operatives from the Wuse Division of the Federal Capital Command in not less than six patrol vehicles were positioned at strategic places along and around Blantyre street, leading to the party Secretariat.

The Nation reports that the presence of the armed policemen within and around the Secretariat was at the instance of the party leadership following a security report that some “disgruntled party members are planning to protest at the secretariat.”

As early as 11:30 am security was tightened as all roads leading to the party Secretariat were sealed up and armed Policemen were seen conducting searches on humans and vehicles moving towards the party Secretariat.

Patrol vehicles were strategically positioned at both Valencia Hotel and Barcelona Hotel ends of Balantrye Street while another van was postponed directly behind the Secretariat along Ibrahim Babangida Way to forestall any attempt for the protesters to gain easy access into the secretariat.

By 1.39 pm personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) Special Force, on a patrol van and power bikes, were seen patrolling along Blantyre Street to provide additional security backups.

A group of women party members from Bauchi State that followed their woman leader to the party headquarters on solidarity visit was kept outside for hours until 3.00 pm when they were finally allowed entry.

A security operative attached to the party confidentially told our correspondent: “We had security report that some people have plans to come and protest here. The national leadership had to order the deployment of police and other security agencies to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

“This is the second time we are seeing this kind of deployment at the secretariat. It showed that some party members are aggrieved and there is a limit to what they can do to continue to stop the protesters.

“The committee should also know that they have overstayed their welcome and should be ready to conduct the National Convention. They cannot be there forever. From six months to one year and still counting.”

But the National Secretary of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, told The Nation said the presence of the policemen was a mere routine check to protect lives and property.

“Oh, nothing is happening. They have been there several times whenever we need to safeguard the Secretariat. You are not in a position to read security reports.

“There are so many things that have to do with security that you are not aware of. It’s a routine thing. We have to protect the people who work here, we read security reports and I’m sure you are fully aware we have every security agency in our Secretariat.

“We are only acting on security reports, there is no cause for alarm,” Akpanudoedehe stated.