Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja

The National Assembly workers under the aegis of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria yesterday raised the alarm political thugs were causing security threats in the nation’s legislature.

They said the thugs and other unauthorised persons are creating a serious nuisance in and around the apex legislative institution.

PASAN has therefore vowed to secure the National Assembly complex for lawmakers and other staff working there.

This was coming against the backdrop of the influx of political thugs who come into the National Assembly during Budget defence and other sessions.

The young men and women are fond of harassing federal lawmakers and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies of government, on assignment who are on legislative invitation.

Specifically, the political thugs demand money and embarrass those who failed to give them.

PASAN Chairman, Sunday Sabiyi, stated this while addressing journalists on the activities lined up for the PASAN week, slated for 27th November to 3rd of December 2022.

He said the parliamentary staff would take up the issue with the management and urged every authorised person to the National Assembly to be security conscious and report negative activities to the security personnel within the complex.

The PASAN boss said, “Security is everybody’s business. It has happened to us sometimes, we were coming into the NASS complex when some thugs blocked us before we could apprehend them they ran away. We are going to take it up with the management.

“We have so many plans to make the National Assembly secure and we believe the new CNA will agree with us to tackle insecurity to follow the process to see that the environment is secured”

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“We are also going to enforce the code of dressing in this place. Not only the security, because sometimes you see some women dressed almost half naked.”

He confirmed that so many unauthorised persons find their way into the National Assembly, including security operatives who are sometimes armed.

Sabiyi said, “They are not supposed to come into NASS with their guns but we find out that some are doing so why?”

He used the opportunity to formally congratulate the newly appointed acting Clerk to the National Assembly Mr Daniel Tanbuwa and other new management staff.

Because of the near management crisis that witnessed the emergence of the new clerk, PASAN urged the leadership of the National Assembly Service Commission to always be steadfast and give a necessary directive that would enhance the harmonious working relationship in the National Assembly.

He said, “What is going on in the National Assembly is a management issue and not political.  As a staff, we don’t want chaos or trouble, all we want is a harmonious working relationship.

“Everybody knows that there are procedures and service conditions that must be followed at every point in time. It is only in a harmonious works place that staff can be taken care of”.