He said: “It is a horrible experience. I have never witnessed something like this. I arrived at the National Assembly; I alighted from my car, I was on my way to the chamber when I saw pandemonium, with everybody running helter-skelter. I tried to find out what is happening, the next thing security came after me. I had to enter my car and the car that came before me is exactly like the car I brought into the National Assembly.
“They just pushed me into the car. Before I noticed what was happening, two men entered the same car with the mace of the Senate and took off, but, confronted them, asking ‘who are you’; ‘where are you going’? They couldn’t answer me and getting to the House of Representatives area, I opened the door of the car and managed to squeeze myself out of it forcefully before the car zoomed off towards the exit gate at the back of the House of Representatives chamber.
“I want to thank God Almighty for this escape from this kidnap attempt by the hoodlums who invaded the National Assembly to steal the mace of the Senate. As you witnessed today, 24 hours have been given to the security agents to produce the mace.
“I condemn this act in its entirety because we (National Assembly) protect the democratic tenets of our nascent democracy so we will not support acts like this. We have condemned the act.
“One of the perpetrators who claims to be one of us has been taken away and I believe in the shortest possible time, the mace will be returned to the National assembly. Thank God we have a spare one and we were able to have plenary today.”
A horde of policemen whisked him away in an unmarked Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).
Senator Shehu Sani, in his reaction, said: “The armed invasion of the Senate chamber stands condemned. It’s treasonable and nothing but an attempted coup d’etat.
“The armed invasion is an open and undisguised assault on our democracy and desecration of our constitution.
“The attackers and their open and secret backers represent reactionary forces of evil and darkness. The Senate will not be intimidated nor will it compromise its independence.
‘The armed invasion is a dangerous precedent for this and future generations of Nigeria. If this can happen to the Senate, it can happen to the President, the Presidency and the Judiciary.
“Nigeria is gradually sliding into a totalitarian state. The inferno of violence has moved from the hinterlands to the heights of constitutional authority.
“The armed invasion is a well -coordinated action aimed at violating and incinerating the parliament. I salute the courage of the senators who heeded our call to stand firm, stay back and defend democracy. We appreciate the solidarity of the members of the House of Representatives.
‘We appreciate the courage of staff of the chamber of the Senate who fell victims of the attack.
“We will defend democracy not because it can give you everything but because it can prevent everything being taken away from you.
‘We have a duty to morally and constitutionally defend and protect the parliament to keep the stream of liberty and rivers of justice flowing without restraints or diversion or pollution.”
