Senate probes DSS invasion of Ekiti Assembly

Senate has ordered full investigation into reports of invasion ‎of the Ekiti State House of Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

Adopting a motion sponsored by Abiodun Olujimi, deputy minority whip, the Senate directed its committee on National Security and Intelligence to conduct an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the action of the DSS and report back within two weeks.

Olujimi informed the Senate “on Friday, March 4, 2016, ‎the hallowed chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly was invaded by armed men of the DSS. And not minding that various committees of the House were meeting, more than 10 DSS men who were armed to the teeth invaded the Assembly complex, shooting sporadically into the air thereby causing panic among members and staff of the House who had to scamper for safety and we’re afraid for their lives.”

‎Olujimi expressed worries that four members of the House of Assembly could not be found after the incident, adding however that information available to her showed that the member representing Efon Constituency, Afolabi Akanni, was abducted and taken to Abuja.

She berated the DSS for refusing to make public, the reasons why the Ekiti lawmakers were arrested even after five days of their arrest.

Blaming the Federal Government-led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the action of the security operatives, she noted that what the DSS did was a mere “political vendetta and muzzling of the opposition,” which she said was dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country.

Majority leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, urged lawmakers to rise against the action of the DSS, pointing out that what was wrong should be condemned.

In his contribution, Eyinnaya Abaribe, drew attention to the fact that the invasion was a clear breach of the Legislative Houses and Privileges Act, which forbad any stranger from entering any legislative house.

In his remarks, Senate president, Bukola Saraki, ‎urged his colleagues not to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but however declared that the Senate would not sit back and allow acts capable of truncating democracy in the country.