By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA — AGAINST the backdrop of last week’s police invasion of the National Assembly, where some legislators and workers were tear-gassed, staff of National and State Houses of Assembly have supported Wednesday’s call by Senator Ita Enang that sergeants-at-arms in the various legislative houses be armed to protect the legislature.
Enang, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East, had, while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, advocated the provision of a legal framework to empower sergeants-at-arms to bear arms, saying such development could forestall future recurrence of the police invasion.
The legislative staff, under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, yesterday in Abuja, said they regretted that their earlier recommendation of the National Assembly Service Commission, during the Assembly Commission Act, 2000, was jettisoned by the lawmakers.
The group said it had become necessary to protect the sanctity of the legislature from future attacks by security men.
Speaking through their National President, Mohammed Bawa, the workers said: “In the Act, so many changes were made to the Commissions Act of 2000 and there is this section that requires that the sergeants-at-arms be given all the support.
“We expected that they should have been armed and trained.
“Our members were attacked and tear-gassed, while carrying out their duty, by Police charged with the responsibility of protecting the lives of citizenry. We condemn it.
“We urge the police to maintain neutrality in the discharge of their duties in the National Assembly and everywhere.”
Speaking in the same vein, Ekiti State chapter chairman of the association, Ayodela Eyotope, blamed the recent crisis in his state House of Assembly on politics.
He said: “The issue is purely politics. There is need for our security to maintain neutrality when it comes to politics. Failure to do that can truncate democracy.”
The workers distanced themselves from last week’s protest carried out by five of their arrested members, saying they were not notified of the protest.
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