by Ranti Joseph

Crisis seems to be brewing in Niger state as security agents sealed up the House of Assembly in Minna to prevent attempt by legislators from impeaching both the state governor, Babangida Aliyu and the Speaker, Adamu Usman.

The law makers are allegedly bent to sack Aliyu and Usman for series of allegations ranging non-implementation of house resolutions, staff and members’ welfare and non-release of the statutory allocation to the assembly for months.

Armed Policemen, agents from the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and Civil Defence on Tuesday took over the assembly as early as 7am blocking all access to the assembly complex.

The seal up caused heavy traffic grid along the ever busy Minna-Suleja express road as a stretch of the road was totally cordoned off thereby caused to hold up affecting traffic from the eastern bye-pass, western bye-pass and Paiko road.

The armed men barricaded members and staff from entering the complex. The Clerk of the House, Mohammed Kagara, who arrived office at about 7:30am, was blocked.

Kagara in a telephone interview said he was shocked by the development. “The way you are seeing the presence of the Police in the assembly is the same way I have seen it. I was not allowed entrance to the complex,” he stated.

The State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Amore said Police were on ground to forestall breakdown of law and order.

At about 9:45 am a group lawmakers led by Yusuf Kure and 12 others had a mild drama with Policemen as they were prevented from entering the complex.

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Aaron Sunday politely told the members that he was directed to provide security for the house and that he cannot recognise the lawmakers, hence the closure of the gate.

But this did not go down well with the lawmakers as they insisted that they must enter the assembly to carry out their constitutional duties.

The Policemen later allowed the lawmakers after a heated verbal face-off that lasted for over five minutes.