Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Sealed Off By Security Operatives

The police and other security operatives in Akwa Ibom State have sealed off the premises of the state’s House of Assembly.

Naija News learnt that the official reason for the police’s action is still unclear but it may not be unconnected to recent decisions by some lawmakers to dump the PDP for the APC, development which has been generating controversies in the state.

Police trucks were seen barricading the road leading to the building earlier today, with several anti-riot police officers also seen on the already deserted road.

#HappeningNow: The premises of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has been invaded by thugs with the full backing @PoliceNG

The House is on break but @OfficialAPCNg and @MBuhari goons are working for 3 members whose seat were declared vacant by the court

Details shortly…

— Kola Ologbondiyan (@officialKolaO) November 21, 2018

“Sorry, there’s no thoroughfare; nobody is allowed to drive or walk through this road,” one of the police officers barricading the road told journalists who visited the vicinity of the assembly complex at Udo Udoma Avenue earlier today.

It will be recalled that Naija News had earlier reported that some angry youths, who are suspected to be members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), stormed the assembly complex on Monday morning protesting the sacking of a lawmaker, Idongesit Ituen.

Mr Ituen, who represented the Itu State Constituency, was sacked by a federal high court for defecting from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

The House had its sitting as scheduled on Monday, despite the protest as the speaker, Onofiok Luke, went on to declare vacant the seats of four more lawmakers who had also defected from PDP to APC.

The sacked lawmakers, five of them, in turn, held their own sitting where they ‘removed’ the speaker, Mr Luke, and “elected” one of them, Nse Ntuen (Essien Udim State Constituency) as the “new speaker”.

The police have not given reasons why the state assembly had been sealed off.

The situation right now in the #AkwaIbom State House of Assembly is that the complex has been overtaken by men of the Nigerian Police who are armed to the teeth, denying anyone entrance into the premises. #AKHAUnderSiege pic.twitter.com/gzOScAFVgr

— Goldenchyld Simeon (@goldenchylduno) November 21, 2018

Meanwhile,The spokesperson to the speaker, Kufre Okon while reacting to the blockage said  the speaker, Mr Luke, has also not received any communication from the police on why the assembly has been sealed off.  Mr Okon  also said the police officers barricading all the entrances to assembly complex prevented the assembly staffers from going into the complex.