Men of the Bauchi Police Command, on Monday night took over the state House of Assembly complex to forestall a total breakdown of law and order in the state.
This is coming few hours after some suspected hoodlums attempted to burn down the complex on Sunday.
Earlier on Monday, another set of hoodlums, attacked some members of the assembly in their guest house, smashing cars and destroying properties in their sight.
This comes three days after 22 aggrieved members of the Assembly passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the House and asked them to resign or be impeached.
Governor Bala Mohammed’s Special Adviser on State and National Assembly Liaison, Sani Burra, confirmed the situation at the complex in a statement on Monday.
He explained that the takeover by security operatives became necessary in a bid to prevent a breakdown of law and order after an attempt by hoodlums to set the complex ablaze.
“Some unknown persons last night (Sunday) had attempted to burn the House complex as a result of which the security persons have taken over the place to avoid a break of law and order,” Burra stated.
“Immediately I was contacted, I informed the state commissioner of police on behalf of the state government for necessary and prompt action. He too immediately mobilised personnel to the complex to ensure that no damage is done.”
While police authorities have yet to explain why their men were stationed at the Assembly complex, the governor’s aide spoke about the crisis among the lawmakers.
“As you are aware, the crisis is that of the leadership of the House, not against the Executive,” Burra clarified. “We are trying to pacify the 22 lawmakers to wait for their colleagues who are presently on pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and Israel before they will do whatever they want to do.
“However, we have on authority that the 22 aggrieved members of the Assembly have insisted on going ahead with the impeachment and elected new leaders. They are now waiting to gain entrance into the chamber to carry out the procedure.”
The aggrieved lawmakers had on Friday last week passed a vote of no confidence on the principal officers of the House, citing ineptitude and dereliction of duty as the reasons for their decision.
Similarly, hoodlums, numbering about 50, were said to have stormed the guest house, where the lawmakers were holding a meeting, a few meters away from the Government House, and tried to chase them away.
Narrating his experience, one of the lawmakers who was injured in the attack, Honourable Ado Wakili representing Burra Constituency said,
“We were inside having a meeting when we suddenly heard noise and people banging on the gate.
“As we rushed out to see what was happening, the hoodlums rushed in holding guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
“All of us scampered for safety and in the process many of us, including me, were injured. You can see my face, just below my eyes.
” They really turned everything upside down. By the time we came out, they had smashed all our cars and the windows of the house.”
He said he was baffled such was happening even when it was not yet electioneering campaign time.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved members of the Assembly have vowed have said there was no going back on their resolve to remove the present leadership if they refused to honorably resign from office as demanded.
