Oluwaseye Ogunsanya
Claim
A video of the National Assembly being barricaded by security operatives resurfaced online.
Verdict
Misleading. National Assembly is not on siege as the video was regurgitated. Also members of the National Assembly are currently on recess due to the forthcoming general elections.
Full Text
A video of the National Assembly being barricaded by security operatives resurfaced online.
The video which was posted by Ernest 🌚 @endz_99 as a reply to a tweet by FS Yusuf @FS_Yusuf_ asking “what is happening at the National Assembly?”
The video showed journalists, cameramen, security operatives as well as some individuals believed to be staff and members of the National Assembly complaining about their inability to gain access to the National Assembly complex by the Department of States Security (DSS) operatives due to “an order from above”
Verification
FactCheckElections carried out an investigation on the video and we found out that it was from 2018 when DSS operatives took over the National Assembly.
According to a report by TheGuardian, the security siege is believed to be related to the move to impeach Bukola Saraki as senate president and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
In a swift response to the development, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who was the then acting president directed the termination of the appointment of the then Director General of the DSS Lawal Daura, with immediate effect due to his role in the siege.
The act was subsequently condemned by Saraki when he addressed a World Press Conference at the National Assembly. The former Senate President described it as “an assault” on the nation’s parliament and a show of shame which should not have happened in the instance.
National Assembly Not Under Siege By DSS – Management
In its reaction to the video clip, the National Assembly in a statement late Wednesday night through its director of information, national assembly, Agada Rawlings Emmanuel has dismissed the widespread speculation that the complex was under siege by the operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS.
He explained that the regurgitation of the unverified video clip was the handiwork of mischief makers whose objectives were not clear. He also called the security agencies to trace the source of the video and ascertain the reasons for the release of such video at a time of national elections.
“The reposted unverified video clip was a reported incident that took place in 2018 at the main entrance gate leading into the National Assembly complex, which is presently under reconstruction near its completion for commissioning.
“It is therefore intriguing to understand what motive this mischief marker set out to achieve with the repost, gauging the political mood of the country and the fourth coming general elections.
“Accordingly, the members of the National Assembly, Staff and the general public are to discountenance the said unverified malicious, mischievous and misleading reposted video as fake news in its entirety as the National Assembly members currently on recess and staff are not under any siege by the DSS.” He said in part.
Conclusion
The National Assembly is not on siege as the video clip was regurgitated. Members are currently on recess due to the forthcoming general elections.