Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who led hoodlums to the National Assembly on Wednesday, to snatch the Senate’s mace during plenary, has been arrested.
The mace is the symbol of authority of the Senate.
Omo-Agege was arrested at about 2:00 PM outside the National Assembly building. A source in the National Assembly told our correspondent that the suspended senator has been led away by the Police.
However at the time of this report, it is still unclear if the mace that was snatched had been recovered, but the lawmakers had resumed plenary with a spare mace.
Omo-Agege was suspended last week for taking the Senate to court. He had dragged the senate to court to stop the committee on Ethics from inviting him to answer questions over comments attributed to him.
The senator shortly after the first consideration of the bill to amend the electoral act and change the election sequence, told newsmen that the action of the Senate was targetted at President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement by the spokesperson of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said the Senate resumed plenary after coming out of an executive session where the earlier incident of forceful removal of the mace was deliberated upon.
“The session is holding with the mace, the official symbol of authority firmly in place, and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, presiding.
“The Senate also decided that it will get to the roots of this sad assault on democracy and an obvious act of treason which the seizure of the mace by some armed hoodlums represents. The hoodlums severely attacked some members of staff of the National Assembly, particularly the Sergeant-at-Arms on Chamber duties.
“The Senate has mandated the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Kpotum Ibrahim and Director General of the State Security Services (SSS), Malam Lawan Daura, to retrieve the mace stolen by the hoodlums within 24 hours.
“At the moment, some House of Representatives members led by Deputy Speaker. Hon. Yusuf Lasun, are in the Senate chambers in solidarity visits. The session is presently live on NTA Channel 10.
“We are determined to conclude all matters slated on the Order Paper for today, even if it means us sitting until 6pm”, said Ekweremadu.
NAN
