The
Divisional Police Officer in the National Assembly, CSP Sulu-Gambari Abdul, on
Wednesday blamed the April 18 invasion of the Senate and removal of the mace by
hoodlums on the internal conspiracy.
Abdul stated
this during an investigative hearing into the incident by joint ad hoc
committee investigating the incident.
According to
him, what happened at the National Assembly was an act of internal conspiracy
among some security agencies and some lawmakers.
“There
should be cooperation between security agencies and the lawmakers but in this
case, the attack came from the roof as the senators are not helping security
matters."
“On April
16, there was an earlier hint that a group planned to invade the National
Assembly and disrupt activities, which called for a build-up of security with
two units of mobile police mobilized to the complex."
“However, on
April 18, at about 11 a.m., my attention was drawn to a group protesting at the
gate, and while I moved to address the group, I was informed that some people
were running away with the mace."
“I signaled
all the entry points that nobody drives in or out but three men approached me
identifying themselves as security operatives and requested to be allowed to
go.
“The strain
of blood on their clothes made me suspicious and I ordered their arrest."
“In all, six
people were arrested same day and handed over to the Force Headquarters
alongside charms recovered from them."
“In
addition, an unmarked Prado jeep and a Toyota Hilux were impounded and they are
with the police."
“It was
later that I observed that the protest was a diversionary attention to move me
out and that the protesters were the same group with those that attacked",
Abdul said.
He said that
there was no communication from the Sergeant-at-Arms to the National Assembly
during the invasion by the thugs.
Earlier, the
Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Brighton Danwalex, had said that report from the
investigation after the incident revealed that Senator Ali Ndume instructed the
men assigned to protect the mace not to touch it during the invasion.
According to
him, it was wrong for them to take orders from Ndume.
“Security
men are having challenges with some legislators because they don’t want to
follow checks,’’ he added.
Danwalex
said that security men were overpowered due to lack of non-functional security
gadgets to enhance operational capacity.
“There is no
functional walkie-talkie; we would have alerted all the exit points."
“The CCTV is
not functioning and there is only one operational patrol vehicle and the
entrance into the white house requires biometric doors,’’ he said.
Chairman of
the committee, Sen. Bala N’allah, requested the Police to furnish it with
copies of station diary where entry of the crime was made.
He also
directed that the committee should be given copies of the crime routine diary,
pictures of those arrested and the transfer register explaining where the
invaders were transferred to.
On her part,
the Co-Chairman of the committee, Rep. Betty Apiafi, blamed the invasion on
negligence on the part of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
She accused
them of failing to raise alarm having observed something unusual.
Similarly,
Sen. Shehu Sani accused the security operatives in the complex of regularly
collecting money to allow unauthorized persons into the premises.
“People
troop in here by paying money to security. Supposing they were terrorists and
had it been that they came in to kill someone, they would have succeeded."
“How could
five thugs succeed if there was no collusion?", Sani said.
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