On Friday, the police in Nasarawa State arrested no fewer than 30 elderly women, including widows, and eight men from the state for allegedly protesting the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election. The arrested individuals were said to be protesting the court's decision, which upheld Sule's victory over the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, David Ombugadu.

The governorship election had been a subject of legal contestation, with Ombugadu challenging Sule's victory in court. The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal initially ruled in favor of Ombugadu, declaring him the winner of the poll. However, Sule appealed the decision and was subsequently declared the actual winner of the election by the Appeal Court. This led Ombugadu to seek the final verdict from the Supreme Court.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, the protesters were arrested for violating a peace agreement reached by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state ahead of the Supreme Court judgment. The protests, which took place in Lafia, the state capital, resulted in the arrest of 38 suspects and the recovery of 29 motorcycles by the police.

Nansel explained that the protesters were apprehended for blocking roads, burning tires, and obstructing vehicular movements, which disrupted business activities. The suspects were taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia for investigation and subsequently charged to court for prosecution. The court remanded them in prison custody pending their bail determination on Monday.

The Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Lanze, reserved his ruling for Monday, January 22, 2024, despite the plea from the defendants' counsel, Iliya Ashokpa, for bail to be granted to his clients. The police command assured residents of the state that they are working with other security agencies to maintain peace across the entire 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

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