Soldiers who claimed they were acting on orders from above yesterday subjected the House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his convoy to public harassment.
The Speaker, who arrived Hotel Seventeen, venue of an ongoing international conference on security and development organised by the office of the National Security Adviser at 9:16 am ahead of other VIPs, was stopped from gaining immediate access into the hotel premises by the soldiers, with his official car.
Efforts made by the Speaker’s security aides to reason with the soldiers were rebuffed as the security men insisted on searching his car before allowing it into the premises.
Angered by the conduct of the soldiers, the Speaker left his car and walked into the venue, leaving behind his official car with the full complement of the speaker’s flag and insignia of his office.
Incidentally, while the drama was going on, the soldiers allowed other VIPs, especially governors who were attending the conference, to enter the hotel without hindrance.
A security source also told our correspondent that : “Initially, we never knew it was the Speaker coming, but on getting closer, I discovered that it was the speaker, but I heard one of the soldiers saying they must search the car. The security officials attached (to speaker) protested, but their protest fell on deaf ears. I saw the speaker come down and walked away.”
When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Imam Imam, confirmed the incident, adding that it was highly unusual for security operatives to search a staff car belonging to the speaker.
Asked what such an action portends for the nation’s democracy, Imam said that Nigerians should be able to judge the action of the security agents.
“What they are doing is undermining the legislature as a whole. It is not about the speaker, but the institution.
“We are just urging them (security) to be mindful of the fact that the institution must be protected at all times. The constitution provides that the integrity of the legislature and the executive be protected at all times. If it cannot be protected, then it is unfortunate”.
He said that the soldiers subjected the Speaker’s car to a search, using anti-bomb detectors, saying “if the number four citizen of this country can be subjected to such treatment, only God knows what will happen.”
Vice President, Namadi Sambo who was at the venue of the conference and subsequently declared the meeting open kept sealed mouth to the harassment on the Speaker.