Protesters bar Mark, Tambuwal from National Assembly

Protesters yesterday barricaded the gates of the National Assembly. Senate President David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and other lawmakers were locked out. Senator Bello Tukur, who arrived at 10am apparently through the gate of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), was advised by the security personnel to turn back and he did. Workers, who resumed work early, could neither take their cars to the designated parks nor trek to their offices, as the over 4,600 disengaged workers of the National Identity Card Management Commission (NIMC) barricaded the main gate. The few policemen on duty watched helplessly. Our correspondent learnt that the disengaged workers, who had carried out similar demonstrations in the past, stormed Abuja from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The leader of the workers, Mr. Ushe Fidelis, told The Nation that they have vowed to continue the action. He said they would only leave if the Senate President told
them why the Director- General of NIMC planned to recruit 18600 new workers after sacking 4600 workers of the commission. It was learnt that most of the protesters kept vigil to ensure their early arrival at the National Assembly. The men carried placards while their female counterparts held green leaves with which they drove away workers, who attempted to enter the premises. Traffic was obstructed as workers blocked the road leading to the complex from the National Arcade. The Nation observed that five policemen bearing arms arrived at the gate on foot by 10am. Some of the placards read: ‘NIMC DG is deceiving Nigerians’, ‘NIMC DG must go’, ‘NIMC DG is a thief’, ‘No more tomorrow, Onyemenam is enemy of progress’. Efforts by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Asokoro, Ahmed Musa and other National Assembly security and administrative workers to appeal to the protesters not to be hostile were rebuffed. A security operative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the National Assembly security personnel should not be blamed for the breach. The operat ive said the main entrance to the complex behind the National Arcade is the Presidency gate and the security guards tried to stop them, but they were pushed back by the protesters. He added that since the security personnel could not use firearms, it was difficult to stop the protesters. At about 11am, most workers, left for home. Efforts by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and National Intelligence, Senator Mohammed Magoro and Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Identity Card and National Population, Senator Abdulmumuni Hassan, to address the protesters were unsuccessful. Hassan told the protesters that the Senate Committee on Identity Card and National Population have met the NIMC management to find a solution to the problem.