The Police have occupied the National Assembly Complex, with patrol vans barricading the main entrance to the complex, close to the Eagle Square.

With the entrances to the premises shut, workers were prevented from gaining entry while security operatives also frisked journalists, construction workers, vendors and a few who they felt should be allowed in, as reported by Punch.

The development is sequel to the directive of the Leadership of the National Assembly on Monday to the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure adequate security within the vicinity of the National Assembly for Tuesday’s plenary in order to prepare ground for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday to present the budget proposal to the joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, after workers under the auspices of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, had shut down the complex on Monday as part of their four-day warning strike.

They had in the early hours of Monday occupied the entrances and shut power and water supplies to the building.

A statement earlier issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Sanni Omolori, read that the political leadership urged the security agencies to take charge so that “Senators and members of the House of Representatives, their aides, other workers and people who have legitimate business within the National Assembly Complex are therefore advised to come in as they will be free to operate without any hindrance and molestation.”

“They must enforce the laws which allow the striking workers to down tools if they choose to and also the ones which restrain them from disturbing those who choose to work or stop parliamentarians from entering the chambers or their offices to do the work for which they were elected,” the statement read.

Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq

Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.