Police authorities in Borno state have detained Shehu Usman Aliyu (Babandi), the legislative aide to Senator Ali Ndume, along with his supporters Tasiu Hassan Malgwi and Ibrahim Adamu in Biu town.
They were subsequently transferred to Maiduguri, the state capital.
Amina Kachalla, Aliyu’s wife, confirmed the arrest to Daily Trust, expressing her distress.
“I’m appealing to the police to release my husband. He is our breadwinner and we have been suffering since the day he was arrested.”
Kenneth Daso, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, confirmed the arrests, citing an intelligence report.
“It was based on intelligence that they were arrested and the investigation is ongoing. I will follow up the case and keep you updated,” he stated.
While the police did not provide specifics, supporters linked the arrests to a cancelled solidarity rally planned in response to Senator Ndume’s removal as the Senate’s chief whip.
The rally, intended to take place in Biu, was called off due to security concerns in the area.
A press release by Ndume’s Senior Legislative Aide (Media), Junaid Jubrin Maiva, stated, “The general public is hereby informed that the solidarity rally scheduled to take place on 28th July 2024, in Biu, in support of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has been cancelled.”
Maiva cited potential conflicts with a proposed nationwide protest and fears of disruptions as reasons for the cancellation.
A family source in Biu disclosed that “three of them were arrested last Sunday in Biu by a team of armed policemen and whisked to Maiduguri for interrogation.”
Reports indicate that the police have obtained a court order to detain the alleged rally organizers while investigations continue.
The arrests have sparked tension among Ndume’s supporters in southern Borno, who are decrying the actions as a politically motivated witch-hunt.
