Armed assailants have scuttled a conference organised by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) to address raging security concerns in the region.

The meeting, which had begun seamlessly on Monday morning at Arewa House in Kaduna, was brought to an abrupt end when an unspecified number of armed men invaded the venue.

Cartoonist Mustapha Bulama was amongst those who shared news of the disruption on social media Monday afternoon.

It was not immediately clear why the thugs shut down the meeting. A police spokesman in Kaduna did not immediately return a request seeking comments about the attack on Monday afternoon.

Peoples Gazette understands that the botched meeting was part of ongoing efforts by northern stakeholders to rein in insecurity and send a strong message to President Muhammadu Buhari, whose week-long visit to Katsina has been smeared by the abduction of hundreds of high school students in his home state by insurgents.

Protests have since rocked the Northwest state in demand of the pupils’ immediate release, as well as recurring attacks from bandits and cattle rustlers.