How did 'mace snatchers' escape despite tight security at NASS?

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu says the invasion,

Speaking after an executive session of the Senate on Thursday, April 19, 2018, Ekweremadu described the invasion of the red chamber on Wednesday as “an ugly drama, the brigandage and desecration of the National Assembly by those who hold themselves above the law and institutions of our land”.

He expressed concerns over the inability of several security agents at the National Assembly to apprehend the culprits.

“We swore to uphold the laws of Nigeria and the principles of rule of law,” Ekweremadu said.

“It still beats the imagination of Nigerians and the civilised world that the attacker passed through several security checks and barriers of the National Assembly and gained access into this chamber and also escaped with the mace into the thin air despite the well-known fortified surroundings of this parliament.

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“Therefore, we ruled that it will be a detour to the state of nature when life was lawless and brutish if what happened yesterday was allowed to go unpunished or to be swept under the carpet. It will never happen. We’ll get to the root of this matter,” he added.

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NASS should have its own Police

The Deputy Senate President blamed the incident on the centralized Policing system in Nigeria.

“This incident has also brought to the fore the case of many of us who has always made for the decentralised police system. Ordinarily, a big institution like the National Assembly should have its own police apart from the sergeant-at-arms. However, the security of this parliament is fully outside the control of the National Assembly. Instructively, the same gangsterism that was witnessed here yesterday has been recorded in various state houses of assemblies,” he said.

IGP, DSS boss summoned

Ekweremadu also disclosed plans to invite the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Director General of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura, to explain efforts made towards arresting and punishing the invaders.

“We therefore call on the Inspector-General of Police and DG SSS to ensure that all those who plotted, aided, abated and executed this dastardly affront on our democracy and belittled Nigeria before the international community must be brought to book to serve as deterrence to others. We will be inviting them next week to brief us,” he announced.

Mace returned to NASS

The stolen mace has, however, been returned to the National Assembly by the Police.

DIG Operations, Joshak Habila presented the mace to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori on Thursday.