Pandemonium in NASS as Police, DSS block protesting lawyers at entrance gate

The nigerian National Assembly was thrown into pandemonium in the early hours of Monday when the police, DSS blocked the entrance gate to prevent lawyers who were in solidarity protest with the judiciary workers from entering the complex of the federal legislature.  The lawyers who are members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had embarked on a peaceful protest in solidarity with judiciary workers who have been on strike demanding financial autonomy for the judiciary.

The NBA members had assembled at the Court of Appeal gate before proceeding to the National Assembly to express their support for the judiciary workers.

Security operatives comprising of the police, DSS urgently locked up the two gate to the National Assembly to prevent the lawyers from entering the premises.

The President of the NBA had on Friday directed the branch chairmen of the association across the country to lead “visits” to Government Houses in their respective states to protest the resistance of the 36 governors to implement financial autonomy for the judiciary.

The NBA president, Olumide Akpata, had in a statement directed the branch chairmen to lead the “visits”, in the form of peaceful protests, on Monday, and on all other subsequent Mondays until the demand for the financial autonomy of the judiciary is met.

He directed all branch leaders “to effectively mobilise their members” for the “visit to the governors at the state government houses” to press home the demand.

The judiciary workers union, JUSUN, had been on a warning strike since April 6, which led to the lock up of courts in Nigeria, to press home demand for autonomy of the judiciary as the third arm of government.