Senate Probes DSS Invasion Of Ekiti Assembly

EKITI

The Senate has intervened in the alleged invasion of Ekiti State House of Assembly by armed operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.

Subsequently, the upper legislative chamber Wednesday referred the matter to its Committee on National Security for investigation. The committee has two weeks to report its findings.

“This matter is a very serious matter. Before the Senate jumps into conclusion, an investigation should be carried out”, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said.

Saraki said he would not believe the invasion of an Assembly was possible in a democracy.

The resolution to investigate the matter was sequel to a motion sponsored by by Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti State), who expressed fear “Nigeria is degenerating to a Gestapo era”.

Mrs. Olujimi said, “On Friday 4, 2016, the hallowed Chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly was invaded by armed men of the DSS”.

She said the whereabouts of the three lawmakers “abducted” by SSS operatives were still unknown.

“This action is not only unconstitutional, illegal, and unlawful but also a plot to harass the people and government of Ekiti”, she said. “Embarking on political vendetta and muzzling of opposition is dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country”.

The senator pleaded with the Senate to act fast to prevent a situation that would warrant “invoking that extreme clause to declare of state of emergency in Ekiti State”.

Contributing to the debate, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, condemned the development in Ekiti.

“This Motion is coming at a time when we should clearly stand by the truth”, Mr. Ndume said.

He said there are there arms of government in democracy with their rights and privileges clearly defined in the Nigerian Constitution.

The Senate leader, however, said “what goes around comes around”, a remark that suggests the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which controlled power at the centre for 16-years before its defeat at the 2015 general elections, was only reaping the acts of impunity it sowed in the past.

He said what happened in Ekiti was not right but “happened to the right people”.

In the same vein, the deputy leader, Bala Na’allah said, “If you dodge away from your responsibilities, the consequences will haunt you”, in veiled reference to the PDP.

According to Na’allah, DSS officials were used as “mercenaries” in the 2015 election by the previous PDP-controlled Federal Government.