Hoodlums invade House of Assembly, beat up lawmakers

dimeji akinloye

August 2, 2017 12:38 AM

It was gathered that the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Umar Imam, narrowly escaped, but some other lawmakers were not so lucky.

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State House of Assembly was on Tuesday invaded by hoodlums, who disrupted its plenary sitting and beat up members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Speaker of the House, Alhaji Umar Imam, narrowly escaped when the hoodlums attacked.

The member representing Igalamela-Odolu state constituency, Friday Sani, was however unlucky as the hoodlums beat him and inflicted serious injuries on him.

Oluwatoyin Lawal (APC-Yagba West) narrowly escaped being hit by one of the big chairs hauled from the gallery into the chamber while some journalists covering the sitting were also attacked and beaten as they scampered for safety.

Vehicles belonging to the lawmakers were also vandalised within the assembly complex.

The gate of the complex was also locked against the speaker and this enabled the hoodlums to pelt his vehicles with stones and other objects.

Responding to the development, Imam expressed shock, saying the house did not see the attack coming though a bit concerned when security agents inundated the premises in the morning.

He, however, said that when the police assured him that they were there to maintain peace and ensure that nothing abnormal happen, he relaxed.

Imam, who told journalists that the house had adjourned indefinitely, however expressed reservation over the conduct of the policemen during the attack on the assembly.

He said, “We have been witnessing crises in assemblies but it had always been in-house, but this one coming from outsiders makes it news, the hoodlums came in and took over in the presence of the policemen.

“The business of the day was carried out with the assurances from the commissioner of police but the hoodlums had a free day in the presence of the policemen.”

Also reacting to the onslaught on the Assembly, Gov. Yahaya Bello said his administration would not condone any act of rascality adding, ”anybody that breaks the law will face the law”.

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The governor, who spoke through the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, said security agencies had been directed to fish out the perpetrators of the house.

“We want to denounce insinuations that the governor is scheming for the impeachment if the speaker. The governor is not interested in instigating the impeachment of speaker.

“The members already passed a vote of confidence on the speaker and it is not the responsibility of the governor to install or remove speaker,” he said.

dimeji akinloye