•Panel declares raid by DSS false
For the second time in a week, the House of Representatives yesterday failed to consider a report on the alleged invasion of Ekiti State House of Assembly by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The consideration of the report was the last business of the day on yesterday’s Order Paper. But it could not be taken before the House adjourned sitting after 2pm.
The report was listed for consideration last Thursday, but it was dropped.
But it recommended that the Sergeant-at-Arms of Ekiti State House of Assembly should be investigated for his roles in the false invasion.
A member, who pleaded anonymity, said the stepping down of the report was odd to him because there was enough time to consider and adopt.
“Though it was believed that events have overtaken the incidence, some recommendations of the report are however relevant to unraveling the mysteries behind the alleged incidence and deepening the country’s democracy.”
Besides the recommendation that asked the detained member of the House Afolabi Akanni to be released after 14 days in detention, other recommendations did not support the invasion of the House by the DSS.
Other recommendation reads: “That given the corroborative statements by the Department of State Service (DSS), the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the alleged invasion of the Ekiti House of Assembly was untrue.
“That the committee, in compliance with the doctrine of fair hearing as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, interacted widely with interested and related parties and given the evidence at its disposal, it is of the opinion that the alleged invasion of the House of Assembly was false and can therefore conveniently dismissed as mere propaganda.
“That the alleged discharged empty bullet shells were taken for ballistic testing and results showed that it was not possible to determine when bullets or expended cartridges were fired and also the four cartridges that were examined had different manufacturers.
“That the Sergeant-at-Arms of Ekiti State House of Assembly should further be investigated by the Nigeria Police to determine from where he got the seven empty bullets shells.”
The recommendations have to be adopted by the House before it can be implemented.