The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has warned the suspended Board of Trustees chairman, Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu and an unnamed commercial bank not to tamper with the forum’s N3.889bn.
Recall that ACF has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis, as the forum suspended its BOT chairman in May over alleged financial misconduct and constitutional breaches.
The BOT chairman had earlier asked some officials of the forum, including the Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, to vacate office, as their tenure had expired.
The police had sealed the ACF national headquarters located at Sokoto Road, Kaduna, claiming the action was to avert a breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, in a statement, stated that, “NEC warns persons morphed into the spurious Committee and its operation are unrecognised and certainly ultra vires and futile. This more so as, additionally, individuals being bandied about as members of the Committee, bonafide members of ACF, by virtue of Section 5 (2) and (3) of the Forum’s Constitution”
According to the statement, “NEC further rues that ACF’s Funds are still improperly trapped in a bank, earning an interest of a paltry rate of 8%, against proposals, received by NEC from financial institutions, to manage the funds at rates of up to 20% of interest”
“NEC strongly warns financial institutions and individuals against misplaced cupidity, illegalities and improprieties in the management of any of its funds. The e financial entities should note that ACF will take all necessary steps to seek remedies against such actions”
ACF said, “In conclusion, NEC and NWC reassure ACF members and the public at large that the Forum remains committed to articulating and defending the interests of the peoples of Northern Nigeria within the nation’s laws”
The statement further reads, “The ACF’s Constitution, which stipulates a hierarchy of five operational organs, including the ACF’s Patrons, General Assembly, Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and National Working Committee. The Constitution and functions of these structures are clearly stated in the ACF’s) Constitution”
“Additionally, the Constitution provides for the setting up of standing committees by the NEC. It s trite that, by virtue of Section 9 (1) of the ACF Constitution, state chapter chairs and secretaries are members of, and cannot operate outside of the NEC. In , a meeting of the NWC held on 19 June 2026, held at Kaduna, reiterated the position of the ConstitConstitution. It confirmed its confidence in Mr Mamman Mike Osuman, LLM, SAN, OFR, and Mallam Murtala Aliyu as, respectively, Chairman and Secretary-General of both NEC and NWC”
ACF avvered, “The meeting also expressed dismay at the egregious development, vowing to refer any ACF member to the Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee (CCEC) for investigation and sanction as may be appropriate. The purported online “meeting” of, and decisions from it, was therefore false, fabricated, mischievous and obviously concocted by shadowy elements who do not wish well for Arewa or the ACF”
“ It was not indeed a surprise that many of such chapters have since come out to debunk participation in the said meeting, objected to and/or dissociated from the advertised cromulent decisions”, the statement stated.