Two leaders of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) were picked up by suspected security operatives in Kaduna, on Thursday.

The leaders have been identified as Nastura Ashir Shariff, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) and Balarabe Rufa’i, National Coordinator of CNG.

They were picked while moving around town in search of a secure venue to address newsmen on some issues affecting the country.

CNG’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman confirmed the development in a statement he circulated to newsmen.

Suleiman said, “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 4.

“Reasons for their arrest are not yet known as we are still working to establish connection with them or trace where they are taken to.

“Both their phone lines have been unreachable for the past two hours,” Suleiman added as at the reporting time.

According to him, the development may not be unconnected with a planned press briefing by the CNG at the NAF club Kaduna which was allegedly botched by the security.

“The Kaduna DSS director had called us earlier today and tried to threaten us against going ahead with the briefing,” the CNG spokesman disclosed.

Narrating further, Suleiman said, “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 tell 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,” he added.

The news conference was shifted from 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3 to  11 a.m. of Thursday, Feb. 4, as the Group waited for “some representatives” from the Southeast zone, a credible source informed HumAngle.

HumAngle, along with other newsmen, were at a venue along Katsina Road, when newsmen learnt of the development, and were, therefore, asked to disperse and await another time to be fixed for the news conference.

The new venue was employed after the CNG was previously denied use of the NAF Club hall.

Security officials have not issued any statement on the development at the time of this report.

Credit: HumAngle