A senator who was serving a suspension after falling out with fellow lawmakers and people described by the Nigerian Senate as “armed hoodlums” are being blamed for the theft of the assembly’s ceremonial mace.
The Senate plenary was in session on Wednesday when the suspected thugs invaded the chamber and made away with the mace.
The incident happened few seconds after a suspended senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, entered the chamber.
PREMIUM TIMES reporter observed that about 10 suspected thugs who came to the venue with the senator forced their entrance into the chamber.
Seconds later, the thugs ran out of the chamber with the mace causing pandemonium in the Senate.
They left the National Assembly with the mace in a black SUV.
The mace is the symbol of authority of the parliament.
One of the security personnel at the entrance of the National Assembly said the thugs told him and other officers they were with the senator.
“We tried to stop them but they told us they were with him (Omo-Agege),” he said.
The Senate has accused the lawmaker, Ovie Omo-Agege, of leading hoodlums to seize the mace, which serves as the chamber’s symbol of authority.
In a statement after the incident on Wednesday, Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi, said the incident is an act of treason.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM