A team of Anti-riot Police Mobile detached to be on guard by the Ekiti State Police Command on Friday Morning thwarted an attempt by some suspected political thugs to set the Ekiti State House of Assembly on fire.
The combined team of security comprising men of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Security, and the Nigerian Army rescued the complex.
It was gathered that a group of yet to be identified suspected political hoodlums at the early hours of Friday attempted to set the State House of Assembly complex ablaze as the leadership crisis rocking the Assembly heightened.
Information gathered at the Assembly revealed that the persons numbering more than ten (10) forced their ways into the gate at about 6:30am, armed with Petrol kegs, burning tyres and other objects with the intention of setting the complex on fire.
A source told our Correspondent that the security men on guard tried to prevent them from getting to the complex and raised alarm before armed security personnel arrived to disperse them.
Confirming the development, Lawmaker representating Ikole constituency -2 Adeoye Aribasoye said that, “Some unknown persons at the early hours of this morning had attempted to burn the House Complex as a result of which the security persons have taken over the place to avoid breakdown of law and order”.
He added that, Immediately he was contacted, he informed the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Hakeem Jamiu and other principal Officer of the house to swing into action and ensure the culprits are repelled.
He distanced the executive arm of the government from the crisis rocking the assembly, saying there’s was no crisis for now, “what’s important is for Police to provide adequate protection for every member of the assembly, the civil servants, as well as security of lives and property at the legislative complex.
On his part, a Lawmaker representing, Ekiti East Constituency-2 Hon. Akanle Lateef Oluwole also lend credence to the alleged attack on the legislative complex saying he was made to understand that, some hoodlums in their numbers attempted to burn the building very early this morning, but were repelled by no nonsense security operatives who were armed to teeth.
Akanle in his words with our correspondent also revealed that some people made an attempt to force their way into the premises, while calling on security agencies in the State to ensure more men are deploy to the complex in order to ensure such ugly trends are nipped in the bud.
He assured that the Executive was not in any way interfering in the internal problems of the Legislature but just doing everything to ensure that peace prevails saying, “the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature is very cordial and it will remain so.
Two other lawmakers who spoke on the condition of anonymity said there was nothing like that, adding that it was an attempt by other faction to justify reason for the closure of Assembly.
“This is just arrangements by some people; we don’t know anything about it and there is nothing like that”.
Recall that, the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Tuesday elected Gboyega Aribisogan as it’s new Speaker.
The election during the assembly’s plenary, produced Aribisogan who represents Ikole constituency -1 as the new Speaker.
Mr Aribisogan, a two-term lawmaker from Ekiti North Senatorial District of the State defeated Olubunmi Adelugba from Emure Constituency to emerge speaker.
The emergence of the new Speaker has not gone down well with some lawmakers and some Political Leaders who wants the seat to remain in the South Senatorial District, until their term of office expires.
The Police Public relations officer PPRO in the state,DSP Sunday Abutu who confirmed the attempted attack in a telephone conversation disclosed that the hoodlums, numbering 10, carrying two 25 litre kegs of petroleum, had allegedly invaded the assembly around 4am and made efforts to set it ablaze.
He said the men and officers of RRS , who were on ground and strategically positioned, repelled them, to and gave the hoodlums a hot chase into the nearby bush.
Abutu said: “I can confirm to you that these hoodlums carrying two kegs filled with petrol and also armed with cutlasses and other weapons came to burn down the assembly at the wee hours of today (Friday).
“The intention they had was that police had left the place, because our patrol vehicles had been withdrawn from the two gates. They thought the place was no longer under security cover. They came through a section of of the complex, but they were resisted.
“The operatives of the RRS gave them a hot chase into the bush and recovered two kegs filled with petrol from them, among other dangerous exhibits.
“We want to warn our people not to turn the assembly into a theatre of war. It is an arm of government that must be respected . They called it hallowed chambers, so people should desist from creating unnecessary crisis.
“Let me also said that our men and officers are on ground to repel any dangerous moves being made by mischief makers to spark up trouble in any part of the state”.
Abutu added that the police haven’t arrested anyone in connection with the attempted arson attack as investigation continues.