By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA—IN an unprecedented development, the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday separately resolved to constitute a joint committee to strengthen security in the National Assembly complex towards avoiding a repeat of last Wednesday’s invasion of the Senate chamber by suspected thugs.

In denouncing the Senate invasion, Speaker Yakubu Dogara affirmed that an attack on the National Assembly could be likened to an attack on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Senate

The resolution in the Senate, following a stormy session where the invasion was exhaustively discussed, came as the Senate summoned the nation’s security chiefs to brief them on the spate of killings in the country.

The decision to constitute the joint committee was announced by Senate President Bukola Saraki who presided at the plenary session that followed the closed-door session.

He announced this as he paid special compliments to chamber staff who fought off the invaders who allegedly came in with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, Delta Central into the chambers last Wednesday.

The committee, he said, “will also be tasked with coming up with recommendations that will ensure that such security breaches do not reoccur in both the Senate and the House.”

“We have also directed our security agencies, head of services and the Inspector General of Police to look at how to strengthen the security of the National Assembly to ensure that this kind of security lapses never occur again,” the President of the Senate said.

While commending the chamber staff for fighting off the invaders, he said,

“My Distinguished colleagues and I would like to thank the Chamber Staff for their gallantry courage during the invasion of the Senate Chamber on Wednesday, 18th April 2018.

“We want to thank you immensely, particularly two of your colleagues, Chuks and Sandra, who have been admitted due to the invasion — we are happy to see them recovering, and we wish them a speedy recovery.

Earlier, following the approval of the Votes and Proceedings of last Thursday, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, moved for the Senate to go into a closed-door session.

The session which commenced at 10.54 a.m. ended at 1.36 pm. Senate spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, unusually did not brief the media on what transpired at the session.

But a source told Vanguard that the senators who were passionate about putting in place a serious security network for the National Assembly, said that against the backdrop of what happened last week Wednesday, if proactive measures were not taken, Boko Haram insurgents and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, also known as Shiites could one day invade the hallowed chamber and attack the lawmakers during plenary.

According to the source, the lawmakers resolved that as part of moves to beef up security, every vehicle would be checked henceforth. As part of the new security measures, visitors to the National Assembly complex even those accompanying senators would from henceforth be subjected to rigorous security checks.

While bemoaning the breakdown of unity, Senator Kabiru Marafa, APC, Zamfara Central was said to have given his colleagues a chronological presentation on how they formed groups to support President Muhammadu Buhari before the 2015 Presidential election and how many who now claim to be with him were not with the president at the beginning.

Marafa was quoted as bemoaning as unnecessary the formation of the Parliamentary Support Group( Senate) for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Following him, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, APC Nasawara West was said to have told his colleagues that “there was no smoke without fire,” an assertion that was said to have provoked several senators who took turns to challenge the former governor.

Also yesterday, Senate President Saraki disclosed that following the rate of killings in some states which has become a daily occurrence, it has become very imperative for the Senate to summon all the heads of security agencies for them to brief the Senators at plenary or at a closed session.

Speaking following a point of Order raised by Senator Marafa, Zamfara Central on the killings in his state with many dead, others seriously injured, Saraki said that there was the urgent need for the Senate to review the entire security situation in the country, just as at the end of the day, the lawmakers observed a minute silence for those who died.

Condemning the attack on the Senate, Speaker Dogara while presiding at yesterday’s session of the House expressed dismay over the silence of security agencies on the matter saying that collusion by security forces could not be ruled out.

Dogara’s reaction followed a point of order raised by Hon. Ado Garbo Doguwa (APC Kano) which urged the House to set up Ad-hoc committee along with the Senate committee to probe the incident.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, has described  Wednesday’s incident where thugs stormed the Senate and went away with the mace as akin to a coup.

The former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in a text message to Vanguard said, “What happened at the Senate was akin to a coup d’etat.

The attack has also been attacked by Senators Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South, Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP, Abia North and Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central who separately condemned the attack on the Senate, describing the action as a threat to the nation’s democracy.