Senate President, Saraki inaugurates probe committee

chika ebuzor

May 8, 2018 6:41 PM

Members of the 13-member committee were drawn from the Senate and House of Representative.

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday inaugurated a Joint Ad hoc Committee to probe the April 18 invasion of the National Assembly by hoodlums.

Performing the ceremony at the National Assembly complex, Saraki said that the invasion of the Senate was one of the darkest days of Nigeria’s democracy.

“It is the precinct of the national assembly which is not just a place members meet, but a symbol of our liberty and freedom from autocracy as the base of our democracy.

“The violation of the ‘solemn place’, the symbol of our liberty to have a government by the representative of our people and for our people by a group of mobsters and criminals, cannot simply be ignored,’’ he said.

He said it was clear and remained the duty of the legislature when faced with behaviours that undermined its fundamental integrity, like the invasion, that the legislature acted to restore the integrity of the institution.

“Everyone involved, from conception to execution of this heinous crime, must be brought to book,” Saraki said.

Members of the 13-member committee were drawn from the Senate and House of Representatives, with the former presenting seven members and the latter, six members.

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Responding on behalf of members, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Bala Na’Allah, assured that the committee would ensure that thorough investigation into the incident was conducted to unravel the circumstances that led to it.

Na’Allah, who is the Deputy Leader of the Senate, said that the committee would operate within the confines of the Constitution and the rules of legislative engagement in carrying out the assignment.

chika ebuzor