By Wole Mosadomi

Minna—Some members of the Niger State House of Assembly were yesterday tear-gassed by the police in Minna, the state capital, following their attempts to entre the assembly complex forcefully.

Armed policemen had as early as 7 am, barricaded the gate to the complex and prevented the assemblymen from from entering the premises  to carry out legislative functions.

There had been confusion in the House following the alleged claims by some members that they had removed the Speaker, Adamu Usman and replaced him with Isah Kawu, Tuesday.

Usman in a swift reaction said that he was still the speaker adding that his purported removal did not follow due process.

However, an attempt by the factional Speaker, Alhaji Kawu and some members of the House to gain entry into the premises for the day’s business was met with resistance by the police who fired cannisters of tear gas to prevent them from coming closer.

Besides barricading the gate, the armed policemen encircled the Assembly fence to prevent any the members who had also threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings on the state Governor, Babangida Aliyu from climbing over to the House.

The members, led by Kawu however left the scene and relocated to the Assembly Staff Quarters where they held an emergency meeting.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Idris Ndako Kpaki who was a member of the House and Commissioner for Local Government, Yusuf

Tagwai were said to have trailed the lawmakers to the new venue to reach a truce on the matter but, it was gathered that their intervention did not yield dividends, even with the assurances by the governor to settle all their  demands.

The legislators it was gathered insisted that the security agents drafted to the assembly should be orderd to vacate the complex  to allow them carry out their legislative functions.

Niger State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olushola Amore who later arrived at the House of Assembly refused to entertain questions from newsmen on the development.