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Thugs invade Nigerian Senate, cart away authority symbol Mace

Source: Xinhua   2018-04-18 22:05:08

ABUJA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Suspected political thugs invaded Nigeria's Senate building on Wednesday and carted away the Mace during a plenary session, authorities said.

The thugs overwhelmed the security personnel, ran into a waiting vehicle outside the plenary hall and drove away in a commando-like manner, bearing with them the staff of office regarded as the symbol of authority of the Senate.

The Nigerian Senate described the act as "a sad assault on democracy."

A senator suspended last week by the leadership of the parliament was alleged to be the sponsor of the sacrilege, a spokesman for the Senate said.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State was suspended for 90 legislative days last week, for challenging the sequence of next year's general election after it had been arranged by the parliament.

Omo-Agege had alleged the Senate of working against President Muhammadu Buhari who is running for a second term of office next year.

The suspended senator accompanied the thugs as they invaded the Senate building, seized the mace and drove away, witnesses said.

Senate spokesman Abdullahi Sabi said the act is tantamount to treason.

However, plenary resumed after the commotion with an executive or closed-door session where the earlier incident of forceful removal of the mace was deliberated upon.

The Senate has mandated the national police chief and the head of secret police to retrieve the stolen mace within 24 hours.

Editor: pengying
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Thugs invade Nigerian Senate, cart away authority symbol Mace

Source: Xinhua 2018-04-18 22:05:08

ABUJA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Suspected political thugs invaded Nigeria's Senate building on Wednesday and carted away the Mace during a plenary session, authorities said.

The thugs overwhelmed the security personnel, ran into a waiting vehicle outside the plenary hall and drove away in a commando-like manner, bearing with them the staff of office regarded as the symbol of authority of the Senate.

The Nigerian Senate described the act as "a sad assault on democracy."

A senator suspended last week by the leadership of the parliament was alleged to be the sponsor of the sacrilege, a spokesman for the Senate said.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State was suspended for 90 legislative days last week, for challenging the sequence of next year's general election after it had been arranged by the parliament.

Omo-Agege had alleged the Senate of working against President Muhammadu Buhari who is running for a second term of office next year.

The suspended senator accompanied the thugs as they invaded the Senate building, seized the mace and drove away, witnesses said.

Senate spokesman Abdullahi Sabi said the act is tantamount to treason.

However, plenary resumed after the commotion with an executive or closed-door session where the earlier incident of forceful removal of the mace was deliberated upon.

The Senate has mandated the national police chief and the head of secret police to retrieve the stolen mace within 24 hours.

[Editor: huaxia]
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