From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
It was drama galore yesterday when the factional group of the Kogi State House of Assembly, otherwise known as G15 resumed sitting at the Assembly complex amidst confusion.
The lawmakers, who came in convoy were denied entry into the Assembly complex by fierce looking security men including the Police, operatives of Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who barricaded the entrance.
Undeterred, the G15 members alighted from their vehicles and walked into the complex. They dared security men to shoot as they marched into the Assembly complex, walking a distance of about 800 metre to the complex.
When they got to the complex, it was locked without any administrative staff to attend to them.
The lawmakers then used an iron object to break the padlock before they gained access to the chamber and commenced plenary with Momoh Jimoh Lawal as speaker. He thanked God and the public for standing solidly behind them but regretted that they had almost lost a whole legislative year due to the festering crisis. As he addressed the House, sounds of sporadic gun shots outside the complex forced them to quickly adjournm plenary. They fled thereafter. As they exited, police alleged they had to shoot to scare thugs who were bent on invading the complex. The lawmakers interjected that there were no thugs as those perceived to be thugs were their personal assistants. Commissioner of Police, director of SSS and the Commandant of the NSCDC later doused the tension as those arrested were released, but the police re arrested four other persons which they claimed were thugs.
Man said he had to rush to the Assembly because of reports that thugs had invaded the complex, saying that was why he reinforced his men to protect government’s property.