Details Emerge As Police Take Over Ekiti State House Of Assembly

Armed policemen on Tuesday took over the EkitiAssembly complex following alleged plots by suspected hoodlums to attack the Chamber.

The security personnel, drawn from the anti-riot squad, regular policemen and counter-terrorism unit were strategically stationed on the four routes leading to the state House of Assembly complex.

Movement into the complex, which is located off Government Reserve Area, 3rd Extension, Ado-Ekiti was restricted as the two entrance gates were shut.

The security operatives conducted stop-and-search operations with increased checkpoints as patrol vans were moving around the vicinity.

The situation created palpable fear in the Assembly complex as workers hurriedly left their offices for their homes to avoid being trapped.

The presence of the security operatives followed the emergence of the former Minority leader, Gboyega Aribisogan as the new Speaker on Monday following the demise of the late Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye.

Aribisogan, who is believed to enjoy the support of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and aggrieved lawmakers defeated Bunmi Adelugba, the preferred choice of the ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi with 15 votes against 10 votes.

The newly-elected Speaker, Aribisogan, in a telephone chat with newsmen, said the security deployment was to forestall possible breakdown of law and order.

He said: “The leadership of the police command in Ekiti informed us this morning that they had verifiable intelligence about some hoodlums coming to attack the assembly complex and to avoid breakdown of law and order, hence the need for their presence and they have promised us to conducts investigation on the matter and report to us before the close of work today.

“I want to appeal to my colleagues and staff of the assembly to be patient and bear with us, normalcy will soon return to the House.”

Reacting to the situation at the Assembly, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Sunday Abutu, said they took prompt action by placing restrictions to prevent breakdown of law and order.

Abutu told the members of the public not to entertain fear, saying the deployment was to safeguard lives and government’s property over ominous signs that security was about to be breached at the Assembly’s complex.

Ekiti State House of Assembly has been shut over rumours of a planned invasion by some people.

DAILY POST correspondent who visited the premises of the assembly reports that police officers were at strategic locations in the complex to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The staff of the assembly were also sighted trooping out of their offices to their respective homes.

In an interview, some of the workers who did not want their names mentioned explained that there was an order from the Ekiti State Police Headquarters asking workers to vacate the complex in the interest of peace and stating that some people were planning to attack the House of Assembly.

However, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, during a phone call, said there was no crisis in the assembly.

It would be recalled that chief Gboyega Aribisogan was elected as the new speaker of the assembly yesterday after defeating Mrs Olubunmi Adelugba from Emure Ekiti.Nation