The National Assembly premises was on Friday thrown into confusion as officers of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) allegedly brutalized some Senior Staff of the National Assembly.
Witnesses said that two National Assembly staff, John Nnadi of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and Chris Odoh, a Deputy Director, when asked by DSS operatives to identify themselves only flashed their IDs and attempted to gain entry into the facility.
They were however forcefully prevented by the operatives and allegedly assaulted physically.
Further efforts by good spirited persons to resolve the crisis rather infuriated the DSS personnel, and escalated tension from the DSS men who after being joined by four other personnel descended heavily on the two affected staff by dragging John Nnadi and pushing the Deputy Director (Chris Idoh) to their office at the White House.
The forceful movement and dragging of John Nnadi and Chris Odoh to DSS office by its operatives alerted other staff members of the National Assembly from various offices at the White House including the Mace bearer in the Senate who spontaneously gathered at the front of the DSS office and threatened fire and brimstone if the men were not released immediately.
In an effort to douse tension, the DPO in the National Assembly, Alex Annagu and Deputy Clerk to the Senate (Legislative) Ilobah Isabella, rushed to the scene and appealed for calm, and for as taff members to return to their offices.
But Nnadi (one of the victims) stormed out of the DSS office in the complex, shouting that Sani Tambawal, Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), must be notified of the injustice and intimidation meted on him by men of the secret police.
“His outburst was greeted by chants from the crowd who chorused, “We no go gree o, we no go gree.”
They continued their song for another 15minutes before dispersing.
Continuing, the DPO appealed to the victims to allow peace to reign, adding that his office and that of the DSS were on top of the situation to ascertain the root cause of the misunderstanding.
He explained, “My appeal to all at this point , particularly Mr John Nnadi , is that , we should all return to our offices while John Nnadi, go to the Clinic for medical check up on any injury that may have been inflicted on him from the alleged physical assault.
“Gathering here and chanting solidarity songs will not right whatever wrongs that might have been committed but going to the Clinic for medical examination and possible establishment of any injury from the alleged assault, will help in establishing a case.”
Thereafter, Nnadi and Odoh (the victims) went to the National Assembly Clinic, with the irate crowd of workers dispersing at about 12:35pm.
•INDEPENDENTNG.