Kogi Assembly attacks; Speaker inaugurates committee

The new Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Mathew Kolawole has set up a five man committee to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the attack on the Assembly on the 1st of August by some yet to be arrested thugs.

The members who unanimously condemned the invasion that led to the sudden resignation of the former Speaker, Umar Iman demanded to know why they were attacked.

The resolution of the House at plenary on Wednesday followed the adoption of a motion on Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Victor Omofaiye (APC-Ijumu) calling on the Assembly to look into the matter of the invasion by unknown hoodlums on August 1, that attacked members, staff and destroyed furniture, truncating the plenary.

Omofaiye described the incident as “ugly and unpalatable” saying that the attack desecrated the chamber which was supposed to be a safe place for the legislators to carry out their constitutional roles.

He said it was unfortunate that the thugs turned the hallow chamber into a theater of war by physically assaulting some members as others had to scale the walls to escape into safety

“This singular deed and action of these hoodlums done on the honourable members of the House of Assembly is uncivilised, barbaric and should be checked, investigated and condemned by a resolution of the House.”

Seconding the motion, Idoko Moses (APC-Dekina-Biraidu) constituency explained that whenever there was crisis in any Assembly, it was usually among members but wondered why hoodlums had to invade the Assembly complex on that day.

Pedro Obaro of (APC-Mopa-muro) decried the inaction of security operatives present at the Assembly that day, stressing that precautions must be taken to forestall a repeat.

Speaker of the House, Prince Matthew Kolawole in his ruling, condemned the attack and constituted a five man ad-hoc committee to critically investigate the remote cause of the invasion and attack.

Mover of the motion and Chairman, Ethics and Privileges Committee, Omafaiye is to chair the committee with the
Deputy Speaker, Hassan Abdullahi, Lawi Ahmed, Haruna Idoko Musa, Oluwatoyin Lawal as members.

The attack of the 1st August led to the resignation of the former Speaker, Umar Imam, sparking speculations that the executive was involved.