There are allegations that some legislative aides and National Assembly workers engaged in last-minute looting of the offices of lawmakers and carted away valuables belonging to the second tier of government in the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Some of the items are television sets, cabinet shelves, electronics, computers, printers, furniture, air conditioners, rugs and carpets, and solar power systems.
NIGERIACRIME learnt that while the suspects were trying to move out the items without passes, security operatives attached to the complex arrest them.
The Sergeant-at-Arms at the National Assembly, Chuks Obaloje, could not give the full details of what transpired but he confirmed the incident.
He said, “Yes, some people were arrested while trying to go out with some items from the National Assembly. But I wasn’t on duty on the day it happened, so I can’t provide you with details. Please contact the Crime Division of the National Assembly.”
Also, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said she could not give details as she had been unable to reach the DPO.
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“I have not been able to reach the DPO to give you details of the case and I am on duty outside, so I can’t give anything concrete until I speak with the DPO,” she stated.
On his part, the Director of Information, National Assembly, Rawlings Agada, who commented on the theft said the occurrence and the arrest of the culprits proved the effectiveness of the National Assembly security.
Agada added that security operatives stopped some people from going out with items that were not assigned to their offices.
He said, “I don’t want people to sensationalise the issue. What happened was that people were stopped from going out with items that were discovered not to be theirs.
“A pass was issued for the items and accredited to each office. The pass has a list of each item that should be taken out from each office, so if an item that was not on the list was found, such would not be allowed to go out.
“And just as you were checked and cleared to come in, you also need to be checked and cleared when going out.”