By Moses Okorie
Contrary to media reports that the mace of Ogun State House of Assembly was stolen, which attracted the visit of the Commissioner of Police of the State, the spokesman of the House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Adejojo, has debunked such news, stating that the mace was never missing, but in safe area.
The spokesman stated this while responding to newsmen in Abeokuta on Thursday, December 10, 2020, saying, “To the best of my knowledge, the last sitting that we had was last Thursday which I’m sure everybody was aware and witnessed the presence of the mace.
“As at this minute, I cannot confirm such information to you. I’m sure it should be in a safe area where it was kept after our last sitting”.
Earlier report had filtered in that “The leadership of the Ogun State House of Assembly and the Police were divided as suspected hoodlums burgled the Assembly complex and carted away the Assembly mace.
“Men of the underworld broke into the speaker, Olakunle Oluomo’s office overnight and stole the official symbol of the legislature. It was gathered that this is the second time the hoodlums bulged the Assembly complex in the last three weeks.
“When newsmen visited the Assembly located with metres away from the Governor’s Office, in the precinct of the State Secretariat, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta, some security agents denied access into the complex, saying it was order from above.
“An officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said “We don’t want to see journalists here today. We are not entertaining visitors today.” It was gathered that the State Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun had earlier visited the Assembly for on the spot assessment.
“When contacted, the spokesman of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident, saying the head of the mace has been recovered, while investigation into the burglary and theft has commenced.
“There is an unfortunate incident today in the Assembly complex. The hoodlums broke into the Assembly through the ceiling, and removed the official mace of the house. That is why the Commissioner of Police has to go there for on the spot assessment,” he said.