African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticized the Kaduna State Police Command for its response to a violent disruption of the party’s inauguration event, where armed thugs allegedly attacked ADC members.
In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned the police for what he described as an attempt to unfairly tarnish the party’s reputation.
Abdullahi emphasized that the venue for the ADC’s meeting was reserved in advance, and the party expected the police to ensure justice by holding those responsible for the attack accountable.
“Rather than assuring the public of a fair investigation, the police issued a statement that appears to criminalize legitimate political activity and portray the opposition as lawless,” he stated.
He expressed concern over the police linking the ADC to “political gangsters” while simultaneously claiming to be conducting a thorough investigation.
“Investigations should uncover facts before conclusions are made. When the police act as both judge and jury, it erodes trust in justice and undermines democratic principles,” Abdullahi remarked.
The ADC also challenged the police’s assertion that the gathering was “unauthorized,” arguing that the right to peaceful assembly is constitutionally guaranteed and does not require police approval.
“Notifying the police is a procedural courtesy, not a prerequisite for exercising our constitutional rights,” Abdullahi noted, adding that no democracy can flourish when security agencies arbitrarily control access to public or private venues.
Furthermore, Abdullahi criticized the Kaduna police’s blanket suspension of “unauthorized gatherings” as an overreach of authority.
“The role of security agencies is to protect lawful assemblies, not to ban them. Granting police the power to dictate which political meetings can occur effectively gives them a veto over democracy,” he said.
Reaffirming the ADC’s commitment to non-violence, Abdullahi declared, “We categorically reject any attempt by the Kaduna State Police Command to associate our party with acts of violence we neither organized nor support. The ADC remains dedicated to peaceful, issue-driven politics.”
The ADC has called on the police to retract their statement, conduct an impartial investigation, and clarify why officers were absent during the attack on ADC members and leaders.
