Police Teargas Niger State Legislators

Police officers on Wednesday used teargas to disperse members and workers of the Niger State House of Assembly, who resumed duty at the complex. The police action is taking place barely 24 hours after the ousted Speaker, Adamu Usman, was impeached and a new speaker sworn in.

The new leadership and members, led by the Speaker, Hon. Isah Kawu, were barred from gaining entrance into the Assembly Complex by the police who put the gate under lock and chains.

As the legislators tried to break the padlock, the police used teargas to disperse them, thereby causing pandemonium in Minna, the state capital.

When contacted on the telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Gambari, said there was no such order that policemen should deprive workers and members of the House but that the men of the Force were ordered to stop vandals from taking over the complex.

According to Gambari: “Those people are not members of the House of Assembly or workers at the Assembly.

“They are vandals.

“Our men are there to stop vandals from destroying properties and causing problems.

“We only asked them to ensure peace and orderliness.

“The teargas is to scare them away because they were already trying to force themselves to gain access into the premises.”