By Oyibo Salihu Lokoja Youths suspected to be thugs, yesterday, attacked the Kogi state House of Assembly and destroyed property worth millions of Naira. It was learnt that as early as 8am, fully armed policemen, led by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Wilfred Inalegwu, were at the premises of the Assembly following a security report indicating that some thugs had planned to disrupt proceedings at the House.
Speaking with newsmen before the crisis, the CP said the unusual presence of people prompted him to bring his men to the assembly, adding that they won’t allow thugs or uninvited guests to create anarchy under whatever guise in the state. . Also, the member representing Igalamela/Odolu, Hon. Friday Makama, once suspended for six months by the House but later won his case in court, was said to be the target of the hoodlums as there were alleged plans to attack him before the sitting. Blueprint reliably gathered that plenary had already commenced before the thugs invaded the chamber, and chased out the lawmakers, beating up even those running to save their lives. Speaker Imam Umar Ahmed, and his security aides, also ran out of the chamber as the thugs invaded the Assembly.
Makama, who was said to be the target of the thugs, was however not lucky, as the thugs beat him and almost stripped him to his panties. Also, Makama’s aides were not spared by the thugs who similarly destroyed the chamber and vehicles belonging to the lawmaker. And upon sighting the fate suff ered by the lawmaker, Deputy Speaker Hassan Bewa Abdullah, broke down in tears Our correspondent reports that security agents, particularly the police, shot teargas to disperse the crowd but could not be established if they really made any arrest. Meanwhile, the Speaker, Hon. Umar, has condemned the attack and assured that a committee in the House “will investigate the crisis.” Its infi ghting – Bello Also speaking, Governor Yahaya Bello condemned the incident, urging security agents in the state to investigate the cause of the attack. Addressing newsmen on the crisis, the governor debunked the rumour that he was behind the rift . He said, “whatever is happening in the Assembly is inhouse fi ghting,” adding that there was never a time he wanted to impeach the speaker. Th e governor however, charged security agents in the state to arrest perpetrators of the act, saying he “will never be a party to such barbaric behaviour.” Speaking through his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, the governor said, “government will investigate those behind the problem and will bring them to justice.” Bello said his administration “will not tolerate anything that will put the state into crisis,” warning that “whoever was involved will be arrested by security agents.
