National Assembly condemns invasion by Shiites, urges action, movement denies violence, alleges infiltration

The National Assembly has condemned its invasion by members of the Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzakky-led Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adedayo Adeyeye, told reporters in Abuja that the unruly mob overpowered the security apparatus of the federal legislature and vandalised several vehicles.

The incident, he said, resulted in abrupt adjournment of the plenary of the House of Representatives.

Adeyeye disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered diligent investigation into the incident.

“The Senate hereby urged all law enforcement agencies to urgently fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act while the law takes its full course,” he added.

Also, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to immediately engage the Shiites in resolving their grievances amicably.

It condemned in strong terms the desecration of the two hallowed chambers of the legislature.

Bringing up the matter yesterday under urgent national importance during plenary, the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, said: “The internal security of the assembly should be thoroughly assessed and adequate measures employed to check future occurrence.”

The Chief Whip Muhammad Monguno (APC: Borno), warned that immediate solution must be sought to prevent the group from turning into an insurgent group.

He noted that the Boko Haram sect began in a similar fashion.

Luke Oniofik (PDP: Akwa Ibom) said the movement needs serious handling, urging President Muhammadu Buhari do whatever was needed to tackle the menace

To Baba Salam (PDP: Osun), the Nigerian government should be futuristic in its approach to solving the problem and nipping in the bud the brewing insurgency.

“The root cause of the problem must be addressed once and for all,” he submitted.

The speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, eventually put the motion to vote and was unanimously adopted.

  Besides, the Coalition for Nigeria Movement has called for checks on activities of the IMN.

Its coordinator, Gabriel Tavershima Tyonongo, made the appeal yesterday in Abuja.

Meanwhile, officials of the IMN have distanced themselves from the violence, saying the mayhem was perpetrated by infiltrators.

The movement’s spokesman, Mallam Ibrahim Musa, said his members could be blamed for the riots that erupted in parts of Abuja, stating that unidentified people infiltrated the body’s peaceful procession and unleashed terror.