Crisis: Police cordon off Anambra Assembly complex

There was tension in the vicinity of Anambra House of Assembly
on Thursday as the Police deployed heavily armed personnel are
strategic points leading to the parliamentary complex.

The House is expected to resume sitting on Thursday after its
crisis which began on Tuesday over attempt to impeach the Speaker,
Mrs Rita Nmaduagwu.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that policemen were stationed
at Ekwueme Square, NULGE Secretariat Junction and barricaded roads
leading to the Complex with patrol trucks.

Workers in Anambra Universal Basic Education Board, Independent
National Electoral Commission and the High Court, all within the
assembly area were forced by the police to disembark from
commercial vehicles and walk.

Those in private vehicles were thoroughly screened to establish
their identities and destinations while some vehicles were diverted
from the area.

Some members of assembly on Tuesday purportedly impeached the
Speaker and elected Ikem Uzozie as her replacement.

The attempt which was reportedly botched has since split the
house into two factions as Mmaduagwu insisted that her purported
removal was invalid.

Police spokesman in the command, SP Mohammed Haruna, did not
take calls or respond to messages to his phone on enquiries over
the deployment of personnel in the assembly area.

A source close to the assembly, however, told NAN that
Thursday’s sitting may have been shelved to give room for more
consultations and reconciliation among the lawmakers and other
stakeholders.

NAN