…as DSS operatives brutalise two National Assembly staff

By Gloria Ikibah

The management of the National Assembly has appealed for calm over the brutalisation of two of its staff, a Deputy Director, Dr. John Nnnaji – Clerk, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) and Comrade Chris Odo by men of the Directorate of States Security on Friday May 17, at the NASS complex.

In a letter signed by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, Birma Shuaibu Maina, titled “All Staff APPEAL FOR CALM”, he urged the DSS and other Security operatives should work in harmony with the Sergeant-At-Arms and be civil in the discharge of their duties.

The letter reads: “The Top Management of the National Assembly is aware of the unfortunate incident that happened on Friday, 17th May, 2024, which involved Dr. John Nnnaji – Clerk, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Comrade M. C. Odo and some DSS Personnel at the National Assembly Complex.

“The Clerk to the National Assembly and Top Management Team visited Comrade Odo at the National Assembly Clinic and immediately called for an emergency meeting between the Management, Security Personnel and PASAN officials during which the unfortunate incident was deliberated upon and unanimously resolved as follows:

“i. that DSS and other Security operatives should work in harmony with the Sergeant-At-Arms;

“ii. all security operatives within the National Assembly Complex should be civil in the discharge of their duties; and

ili. all members of Staff should always display their I. D. cards for easy identification.

“The CNA and the Top Management hereby appeal to Staff to be calm, peacland law abiding as the situation is under control”.

Naijablitznews.com report that two senior staff members of the National Assembly were on Friday brutalised by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to our source, the problem started at about 11:45am when the two staff were asked to identify themselves as they made their way from the New Senate Building to the White House section of the NASS Complex.

Mr. Nnadi and Odoh, a deputy director, had shown their ID cards to the DSS operatives but were accused of not identifying themselves properly.

Being senior staff of NASS, attempts to proceed to the White House from the door linking the walk way linking the two buildings, were resisted by the DSS operatives.

The action of the DSS was said to have led to a scuffle and outright physical assault of the staff by the operatives.

According to eye witness, every efforts to resolve the crisis, got the DSS operatives upset and were joined thereafter by four other operatives, who started brutalising the two staff by dragging Nnadi and pushing the Deputy Director (Chris Odoh) to their office at the White House.

The forceful movement and dragging of John Nnadi and Chris Odoh to the DSS office by its operatives from a distance of about 125 metres and the rising pandemonium, drew the attention of the staff of the Unity Bank and United Bank for Africa (UBA) as well as other employees of the Senate Public Accounts Committee and Journalists from the Senate Press Centre whose offices were along that route.

Not happy about the embarrassment of the two staff, other members of staff of the National Assembly from various offices at the White House, including a Sargent-At-Arms who often bears the mace during procession of presiding officers of the Senate spontaneously gathered at the front of the DSS’ office with a call on the operatives to allow the two victims go.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the the National Assembly, Alex Annagu and Deputy Clerk to the Senate (Legislative), Mrs Ilobah Isabella, later arrived at the scene and tried to calm the situation.

They appealed to the crowd to return to their respective offices.

While listening to the appeal from the DPO and Deputy Clerk, one of the affected staff John Nnadi stormed out of the DSS’ office, saying in a loud tone that the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal, must hear about the injustice and intimidation the DSS operatives had subjected him and the Deputy Director to.

His suggestion was spontaneously accepted by the crowd who joined him to march to the office of the CNA, chanting: “We no go gree o , we no go gree” for about 15 minutes before dispersing, since the CNA was said not to have been in the office at the time.

On getting back to the lobby, the DPO, further appealed to the victims and other staff that had gathered to allow peace to reign saying the police would investigate the matter to ascertain the cause of the misunderstanding and the subsequent action of the DSS operatives.

“My appeal to all at this point, particularly Mr John Nnadi, is that, we should all return to our offices while Nnadi and Odoh go to the Clinic for medical examination.

“Gathering here and chanting solidarity songs will not right whatever wrong that might have been committed but going to the clinic for medical examination and possible establishment of any injury from the alleged assault, will help in establishing a case,” he said.

The assaulted John Nnadi who was later joined by Chris Odoh, thereafter, went to the Clinic, while the enraged crowd subsequently dispersed at about 12:35pm.

Naijablitznews.com reports that upon the resumption of the lawmakers, the DSS took over security operation at the National Assembly and have been very unfriendly and strick on proper identification.