THE PARLIAMENTARY Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has demanded immediate release of three Lagos State House of Assembly workers detained by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The association’s Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Mr Babatunde Ogunlana, made the demand while addressing journalists on Tuesday in Ikeja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that DSS had on Friday arrested the three staff members for allegedly attacking its personnel at the Assembly complex on Feb. 17.
NAN reports that the detained workers, two Sergeants-at-Arms officers and a Public Affairs Officer, had prevented the DSS officials from entering the chamber with firearms on the same day.
The Assembly, had in a letter dated Feb. 14 and signed by the Acting Clerk, Babatunde Ottun, invited the DSS to provide more security at the complex on Feb.17, citing intelligence reports indicating potential threat to peace at the complex.
The House added that it received reports of plans by the impeached speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, to forcibly remove the new speaker, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, and impose himself as Speaker.
However, the presence of the DSS operatives at the Assembly complex resulted in chaos as they were confronted by some legislative workers who accused them of acting beyond providing security.
Speaking at the news conference, Ogunlana, said the continued detention of the association’s members raised genuine concerns for the health and safety of the affected staff; one of whom was asthmatic.
The chairman called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Civil Society Organisations and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to intervene in the matter and help free the detained staff.
Ogunlana said the arrest and detention of the affected workers was a violation of their rights.
“The association is using the medium to condemn the humiliating arrest, detention and trial of the officers as abuse of power and gross violation of the rights of the workers who were performing their statutory duties.
“PASAN, as a union, demands the immediate release of the detained staff members, and call on the authorities to institute a thorough investigation into their arrest, torture, and continued detention with a view to forestalling recurrence.
“We are calling on the Civil Society Organisations and organised labour to rise in defence of democracy and rule of law and prevent future intimidation and harassment of workers by security agencies
“The association further calls on DSS to uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety of the affected staff,” he said.
Ogunlana added that the association found the continued detention of the staff worrisome, accusing the DSS of subjecting them to psychological trauma.
(NAN)
