OPERATIVES of the State Police Command, today, repelled an attempt by some thugs to burn down Ekiti State House of Assembly complex.
The incident, according to a reliable source in the Assembly, occurred at about 4am on Friday, when the hoodlums said to have scaled the fence and made spirited efforts to spray a section of the complex with petrol and set it ablaze, thereby creating an atmosphere of security breach.
NaijaTimes gathered that the crisis started in the Assembly on Tuesday, November 15, following the election of the lawmaker representing Ikole constituency 1, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan, as the Speaker, to replace the late Funminiyi Afuye, who died on October 19.
In the election conducted during plenary, Aribisogan garnered a total of 15 votes to defeat the lawmaker representing Emure constituency, Hon Olubunmi Adelugba, who scored 10.
The election, it was also gathered, has created bad blood among the lawmakers, as some of them alongside power brokers in the state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who are believed to be favourably disposed to Adelugba’s speakership have been spoiling for a showdown.
Sensing danger, given the ominous signs of security breach, the state Police Commissioner, Morounkeji Adesina, deployed a contingent of the police to shut down the Assembly complex to ensure safety and security of lives and property.
The Assembly staff were asked to move out in the process to prevent being caught in the web of looming factional crisis.
Confirming the attempted attack, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu, said that the hoodlums, numbering 10, who came with two 25 litre kegs of petroleum, had reportedly invaded the Assembly complex at about 0400hrs (4am) and made efforts to set it ablaze.
His words: “The men and officers of RRS, who were on ground and strategically positioned, repelled them and gave the hoodlums a hot chase into the nearby bush.
“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“The intention they had was that police had left the place, because our patrol vehicles had been withdrawn from the two gates.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 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 call it ‘hallowed chambers’, so people should desist from creating unnecessary crises. Let me also say 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.
He revealed that the police haven’t arrested anyone in connection with the attempted arson attack, but they are on their trail.
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