The Federal Government has directed security agencies to immediately begin probe into the circumstances surrounding the invasion of the Senate chamber by suspected hoodlums on Wednesday and the theft of the mace.
Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, revealed the federal government’s position on Wednesday evening, saying the government condemned the attack.
In a statement, Mohammed was credited to have said that the security around the National Assembly complex would also be reinforced to prevent a recurrence.
Also on Wednesday, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, briefed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the invasion by thugs reportedly led by a suspended senator from Delta State, Ovie Omo-Agege.
Ekweremadu told State House correspondents after meeting with Osinbajo that he was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the matter.
He said:“I am sure you are aware of the Senate invasion today and we have to come and brief the Vice President because the President is not in town.
“So it was appropriate for him to know what transpired because we run democracy, we are all in one government and it is the responsibility of the President or the Vice President to ensure law and order in the country and once we have this kind of major development it is important that he is briefed at the earliest opportunity.”
Ekweremadu said he did the briefing because the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was out of the country.
He said Osinbajo sympathised with the Senate over the incident and pledged to work with the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure such incidents do not occur again.
Ekweremadu said the invasion of the Senate chamber was a threat to Nigerian democracy.
Said Ekweremadu:“The invasion of the parliament is not acceptable to any person, it is not acceptable to me, it is not acceptable to the VP, it is not acceptable to my colleagues, I believe it is not also acceptable to the President.
“So those who acted this script must be on their own. All we need to do as a country is to ensure that this is forestalled and I want to appeal to the media to help us discourage this kind of brigandage so that people have to behave in a very responsible manner.”
Ekweremadu assured that the Senate leadership was “on top of the situation” and that normal sitting of the Senate was conducted Wednesday.
Ekweremadu said having been under suspension, Omo-Agege had no legal right to enter the Senate chamber.
“It was a breach of the law for him to force himself into the chambers. As I said, police is still investigating and we are going to find out the details of those who aided him to come in and then some of them I believe have been arrested and we will get to the root of the matter,” he said.