Nigerian Police Confirm Arrest Of Over 38 Protesters Including Aged Women In Nasarawa Over Protests

The Nigeria Police Force, Nasarawa State command, has acknowledged the arrest of at least 30 protesters on Friday.

They were arrested while they were reportedly demonstrating against the Supreme Court judgment that upheld Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the March 18, 2023, governorship election in the state.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, David Ombugadu, had dragged Sule of the All Progressives Congress to court, challenging his 2023 election victory.

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had on October 2 sacked the governor and declared Ombugadu as winner of the poll.

Unsatisfied with the judgment, Sule approached the Appeal  where he was declared as the actual winner of the election.

This prompted Ombugadu to approach the Supreme Court for the final verdict on the matter, which also affirmed Governor Sule.

Speaking on the development on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer  DSP Ramhan Nansel, said apart from the 38 suspects arrested by the command, 29 motorcycles were recovered by its personnel during the protests which took place in Lafia, the state capital.

He further explained that the protesters were arrested because they violated a peace agreement recently reached by stakeholders of the APC and PDP in the state ahead of the Supreme Court judgment.

Nansel said, “The command has apprehended 38 suspects in connection to the protests and we have recovered 29 motorcycles.

“After the Supreme Court judgment, the protesters were aggrieved and they blocked the roads, burning tyres and thereby obstructing vehicular movements and disrupting business activities. That was why they were arrested.

“A total of 30 females and eight males were arrested. 29 motorcycles were also recovered.

“The suspects were immediately taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia where an investigation was carried out and they were charged to court for prosecution.

“The court has remanded them in prison custody pending their bail determination on Monday.”

While urging all residents of the state to go about their business without any fear, the PPRO assured them that the command was working in synergy with other sister security agencies to ensure that the entire 13 Local Government Areas of the state remain peaceful.