The umbrella body of Igbo people, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the Federal Government to treat the siege to the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Services (DSS) as a coup.
The group called on the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate the development which, it said, amounted to a coup d’état.
Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the President General of Ohanaeze, in a statement, on Wednesday, said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was right in describing the act as a breach of national security.
It added that all the characters who participated in the act, directly or indirectly, should face the law to act as a deterrent to over-zealous operatives.
Chief Nwodo charged the Vice President to go beyond the sacking of the Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura, and institute a high powered investigation to fish out all the culprits.
Nwodo pointed out that it was not possible for the DSS alone to carry out the siege without the involvement of the Police.
He doubted the denial of the Police on the matter as he urged Osinbajo to critically examine the role of their role and the claim that it did not participate.
The Ohanaeze leader said the embarrassment the act brought to the nation was enormous and should not be treated with levity.
According to him, “If the state security can just wake up and seal up the National Assembly housing the country’s parliament, they could go further one day to overthrow the government after discussing with some interest groups.”
Chief Nwodo said that Ohanaeze had carefully followed the developments at the National Assembly and felt that the executive was over-bearing.
His words: “As a constitutionally recognized arm of government with its own statutory responsibilities, if there is a disagreement within them, they should be allowed to resolve it themselves unless there is violence before the security can be involved.
“The executive must allow the legislature to handle their affairs themselves in the most congenial atmosphere.”
“Democracy would be better served if all the arms of government are allowed to operate without undue interference from each other.”
