Mace theft: Senate asks IGP, DSS to beef up security at n’assembly

The upper legislative chamber has resolved to put in place measures aimed at beefing up security at the national assembly.

This comes one week after the senate’s mace was snatched from the red chamber by suspected thugs.

The suspects were said to have been led by Ovie Omo-Agege, a suspended senator from Delta state.

On Tuesday, the senate asked its committee on security, intelligence and police to meet with the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS) “to look at how to strengthen the security of the national assembly.”

Arising from the executive session, Senate President Bukola Saraki also said both chambers of the national assembly will set up a joint committee to investigate the incident.

Saraki described the current session of the national assembly as “a true representation of democracy” and “as long as we defend this legislature, we defend the democracy in this country.”

“We also resolved the need to tighten the security at the national assembly and I’m calling on all members of the public to please cooperate with us,” he added.

“Clearly, there are some loopholes here and we need to tighten it.

“There will be a constitution of a joint committee of the senate and the house of representatives to investigate the incidence of the 18th of April, to look at the factors leading to it and to ensure that such never happens again at the national assembly.

“We also directed our committee on security, intelligence and police to engage with the director-general of the SSS (better known as DSS) and the IGP to look at how to strengthen the security of the national assembly to ensure that these security lapses will not occur.”