ACF condemns attack on NASS

THE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned the attack on the National Assembly by the police, which led to the closure of the National Assembly complex by the Senate President, David Mark.ACF described the attack as unfortunate and an abuse of state power.The organisation's National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, said in a statement that the police's constitutional role of protecting the people, maintaining law and order was not properly applied in handing the National Assembly drama of Thursday.'The attack on the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambawal and other members of the House of Representatives with teargas canisters with led to pandemonium, where senators and members sustained injuries, was barbaric and unnecessary, considering the fact that the police were there to protect members and not to attack and humiliate them.'The nation cannot afford the misuse of state power by our security agencies at this material time as it could lead to breakdown of law and order, especially as we approach the 2015 elections.'The action of the members in climbing over the fence and gate to gain access into the National Assembly complex was unparliamentary. Members of the legislature as law makers ought to have conducted themselves in a manner befitting of the chambers they occupy and not otherwise.'ACF, therefore, urges the Nigeria Police as an institution to always uphold its constitutional role of protecting the citizenry and ensure law and order prevail in any given situation rather than allow itself to be used by politicians that come and go.'ACF equally calls upon members of the National Assembly to exercise restrain and display decorum and maturity in their conduct in the face of any provocation and also put the interest of the nation above political and personal interests,' ACF said.
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