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Amnesty International has condemned the Sokoto State Government for sealing the office of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, describing the action as “lawless” and an attempt to suppress opposition and undermine democratic freedoms.
In a Monday statement, the human rights organisation said the closure was carried out using a “non-existent dispute over ownership of the building” and was aimed at suffocating political space to give unlawful advantage to the ruling party.
It said, “The closure of the office is clearly an attempt by Sokoto state government to suppress opposition and undermine freedom of association — and the right of all political parties to carry out their activities freely.
“Sokoto state government is demonstrating utter disdain for basic tenets of democracy by using powers of the state to suffocate the political space.”
It added that “using bizarre excuses like ‘a review of the Certificate of Occupancy and other relevant documents’ to justify sealing of the ADC office exposes the desperation of the state government to undermine political plurality.”
Amnesty noted that the closure came days after the convoy of the ADC governorship candidate, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, was reportedly attacked by suspected gunmen near the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport on Friday, October 30.
The group accused security agencies in the state of failing to uphold the rule of law and protect peaceful political activities, warning that an atmosphere of fear and intimidation was hampering freedom of assembly and association.
The Sokoto State Government announced the sealing on Monday through the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barr. Nasiru Dantsoho.
According to the commissioner, the action was taken to protect lives and property following a recent disturbance involving party supporters and suspected miscreants.
Dantsoho said a review of the property’s Certificate of Occupancy showed it originally belonged to the defunct Savannah Bank, with no official record indicating a change of ownership.
He said the government had written to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the custodian of the bank’s assets, for clarification and was awaiting a response.
“Following a review of the Certificate of Occupancy and other relevant documents, we discovered that this property belongs to the Savannah Bank, and that ownership has not changed as of today,” Dantsoho said.
He said the premises would remain sealed and under government control until the ownership dispute is resolved.
The sealing is the latest in a series of incidents that have heightened political tension in Sokoto ahead of the 2027 elections.
On October 28, ADC alleged that a solidarity march by its women supporters was attacked and its campaign office vandalised.
On October 30, the party claimed Dan’iya’s convoy was attacked near the airport by operatives of state-owned security outfits, the Sokoto Marshal and Sokoto Community Guard, an allegation the police said it was investigating.
The party also alleged that its branded vehicles were being stopped at entry points into the state.
The ADC has also accused the state government of pressuring hotels to reject its members, an allegation the government has denied.
Despite the tension, the ADC has said it will proceed with its presidential campaign flag-off in Sokoto scheduled for Tuesday, November 4.
