The House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 in the Committee of the Whole considered and adopted its joint ad-hoc committee report on the Senate chamber invasion and theft of its mace. It would be recalled that on Wednesday, 18 April 2018 the Senate plenary session was disrupted after unknown thugs invaded its chambers and forcefully removed the mace.
The senate had accused Sen. Ovie Omo- Agege of being the mastermind behind the invasion. Consequently, both houses of the National Assembly set-up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the incidence. The Report which was laid in the House on the 5th , July 2018 included the following recommendations:
- The immediate suspension of Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege for 180 Legislative Sitting days in line with Section 14 (2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017;
- The immediate prosecution of Senator Omo-Agege and the 6 other suspects for treasonable felony, assault occasioning harm, conspiracy to steal and actual theft of the mace, the symbol of Authority of the Parliament;
- That Senator Omo-Agege be prosecuted for incitement and breach of peace in the Senate Chambers and contempt ex-facie;
- The prosecution of Sen. Omo-Agege and the six others for obstructing and assaulting officers of the National Assembly in the course of their duty contrary to section 14(1)(c) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) which states that “Any member of a Legislative House who assaults or obstructs any officer of the Legislative House while in the execution of his duty shall be guilty of contempt of the Legislative House” and further that he should be dealt with in accordance with the provision of the law;
- That the Nigeria Police’s preliminary investigation on the issue should be intensified with a view to bringing those found culpable into custody;
- That the Legislative Houses (Power and Privileges) Act should be amended to clearly vest the power of maintaining peace and order within the Chamber and precincts of Legislative Houses in the Sergeant-At-Arms of its Legislative Houses;
- That the Management of National Assembly should, as a matter of urgency, review the existing security operational procedure and indeed the entire security architecture with a view to improving the capacity of the Sergeant-At-Arms to enable them take the lead in providing security and encouraging synergy among other Agencies to assist in complimentary roles. Other recommendation included introducing electronic gate screening mechanism with capacity to automatically process authorized persons to gain access into and out of the National Assembly Complex;
- That Members should accord the security operative the required courtesy and cooperation to enable them discharge their responsibilities effectively and efficiently;
- Commend the House of Representatives, the International Community, the Press/Media and other well-meaning individuals and groups for their show of support on the side of the Senate when democracy was threatened;
- Commend and recommend for special compensation staff of the Senate Chamber, namely Sandra Davou, Chuks Egemuka and Hussaini Yari as well as Timothy Omale and Jacob James Idoko of the House of Representatives Chamber who did their best to retrieve the Mace but were overpowered by the thugs;
- Commend the Deputy Senate President and the entire Senate for refusing to be intimidated by the invasion and upholding their oath of office as prescribed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
