Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on Tuesday, barricaded the main gate of the National Assembly, preventing lawmakers and staff from gaining access into the complex.
The motive for the blockade was not clear. But on Monday, Senate President Bukola Saraki reportedly called an emergency meeting of the leadership of the National Assembly for 12 noon. The NASS went on recess on 24 July, setting the resumption date for 25 September, an action the presidency said would slow down the machinery of government, including approval of the supplementary budget and the budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The DSS operatives backed by men of the Nigerian Police were seen at the gate of the assembly, barricading the two gates with two Sports Utility Trucks and standing firmly, guns in hand.
Some senators such as Ben Bruce(Bayelsa), Rafiu Ibrahim(Kwara)and Sani Yerima(Zamfara), who came to the National Assembly were denied access.
Some of the senators who sought to know why the gates were being blocked did not get any answer from the operatives who kept mum.
A video shows Senator Rufai Ibrahim trying to interact with one of the DSS operatives.
Senator Ben Bruce who arrived later, briefed the crowd of journalists and National Assembly staff who had gathered in front of the gate and threatened to get the details of the security operatives and send to all relevant embassies and have their Visa revoked.
“We will ask them to revoke their Visas, the Visas of their wives and the Visa’s of their children. Any nation in Western Europe and North America. And let me say this very clearly: let nobody test this institution.
“I call on all of you to photograph all those breaking the law, get me their pictures, get me their names. We will submit the names of Senator Akpabio and his gang, we will submit them to the embassies. I am in talks with them already, we will make sure their Visas are revoked.
They will not be travelling for a very long time, not even for medical check ups,” he said.
