Barely twenty-four hours after suspected thugs invaded the Senate Chamber, and stole the Mace, the Nigeria Police have announced the recovery of the symbol of authority.
A statement by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the Mace was recovered within the City Gate, after a passerby saw it, and alerted the Police.
The Senate was thrown into confusion on Wednesday, as thugs suspected to have been sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, invaded its plenary and took away the mace. Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was recently suspected for 90 legislative days, after consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Following what could be described as ‘the desecration of the sanctity of parliament’, the Senate had issued an ultimatum to the Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), to recover the mace within 24 hours.
In a swift response to development, Adeniran said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, “immediately instituted a high-powered Police Investigation and Intelligence Team coordinated by the IGP Monitoring Unit of the Force and further directed a total lock-down of the Federal Capital Territory with intense surveillance patrol and thorough Stop and Search Operations at various Police check-points with a view to arresting perpetrators and possible recovery of the stolen Mace”.
He noted that the recovery was made upon stop-and-search, raids on identified criminal spots among other measures.
“The Police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence-building patrols, intelligence gathering which forced the suspected miscreants to abandon the Mace at a point under the flyover before the City Gate, where a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the Police.
“While a discreet investigation into the incident is still ongoing to arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Nigeria Police Force appreciates the spirited members of the public, most especially motorists within Abuja Metropolis for their support, cooperation and timely information during the rigorous stop and search operations for the recovery of the Mace.
“The renewed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to guarantee the protection of Lives and Property, Peace and Stability and sustain democracy in the country remains unequivocal and unwavering”, Adeniran said.
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