The National Assembly, the apex law making body of the country, has been invaded by strange, suspicious looking persons, it was learnt on Wednesday.
The appearance of the suspicious persons, it was gathered, is raising fears of a possible attack on the complex.
Findings showed that signals from security conscious personnel of the National Assembly indicated that in the last few days, the complex had been flooded with “strange persons dressed in funny looking attires.”
The strange and suspicious faces were said to have continued to find their ways into the complex by claiming to be constituents of some lawmakers.
The claim, a security source said, “enables the invaders to beat security checks thereby endangering lives and property.”
Contacted, Director, Public Affairs, Yahaya Dan-Zaria, also expressed concerns over the development.
He however assured that steps were being taken to nip the situation in the bud in the interest of law- abiding Nigerians in and around the National Assembly complex.
Another top official of the National Assembly, who chose to remain anonymous, also collaborated the development.
He said: “Yes, we have this dangerous intelligence reports that the National Assembly may be a victim of terrorist attack and we are not joking with it.
“Several steps are being taken but many stakeholders are not showing the needed co-operation.
“The way strange and very suspicious looking persons throng the National Assembly complex in recent times is worrisome.
“The situation has overstretched security architecture in the Assembly. Many of them if confronted at the gates are quick to resort to claims of being constituents of one lawmaker or the other.
“The point must be made that the National Assembly is not a place to meet constituents or have any form of ceremony with them. It is a place for serious legislative businesses bordering on the country’s socio-political and economic life.
“Again, the point must be made that the kind of persons who now seat as members of both chambers of the National Assembly are such that command security attention.
“They are people who had held very prominent and sensitive positions at various levels in the recent past. “Having occupied such positions meant more security burden on the National Assembly to forestall eventuality of any sort.”
Apparently to contain the situation, a security sub-committee set up by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, recommended that “an arms bearing elite force be established for the National Assembly.”
Also before the end of 2019, a twelve member ad-hoc committee was constituted to work out some remedial measures to secure the National Assembly.
The Sergeant-at-arms, Brigadier General Mohammed Sani Danwalis (rtd), who headed the committee, recommended a series of measures which must be taken to deal with the situation.
It was gathered that some of the key aspects of the recommendations were yet to be addressed.
Part of the recommendations of the security committee included :
*Rationalisation of banks and other business outfits whose operations are neither incidental nor complementary to the functions of the National Assembly.
*Leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives should prevail on legislators to submit themselves to security checks, especially at the point of entry into the National Assembly:
*Security clearance should be a major requirement for engaging legislative aides. Also, renewal of identity cards for legislative aides should be made annually.
*The Directorate of Human Resources and Staff Development should maintain a data base on all staff, legislative aides and legislators which should be shared with all security agencies.
*The Management of the National Assembly should advise security chiefs to desist from bearing arms within the precincts of the National Assembly;
*The Directorate of Research and Information, in conjunction with security agencies, must ensure that journalists practicing in the National Assembly are accredited on a yearly basis.
