The Nigerian Governors Forum has described as “despicable” an attempt to take over the National Assembly by operatives of the Nigerian secret police, the State Security Service (SSS).
A statement by the Head of Media of the NGF, Abdulrazaque-Bello Barkindo, quoted chairman of the forum, Abdulaziz Yari, calling for punishment for all those involved in the siege.
Armed SSS personnel Tuesday morning laid siege on the National Assembly gates, barring lawmakers and journalists from the building.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo later summoned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the SSS director general, Lawal Daura.
The presidency immediately announced the sack of the SSS boss, while distancing itself from the blockade.
The governors said the siege was an aberration on democracy.
Read full text of the statement below:
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) frowns strongly at Tuesday morning’s attempted take-over of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
NGF says it is an aberration.
The Forum, without equivocation, reasons that the siege on the National Assembly is a most despicable action, one that challenges the core of the nations democracy and threatens Nigeria’s corporate existence in the long run.
The Chairman of the Forum, Gov Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar who is also a former member of the National Assembly, having served there as a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2011, before becoming governor in 2011, called on the Acting President to ensure that the participants in the unwise action are met by the full wrath of the law.
Governor Yari Abubakar described the National Assembly as the bastion of democracy and added therefore that an attack on it is an attack on the collective conscience of the country at large.
Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar warned against such actions in the future saying that such unbridled meddlesomeness by the nation’s security operatives were capable of plunging the country into the unfortunate circumstances of unnecessary confusion.
Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo
Head, Media & Public Affairs
Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat
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