By There was chaos at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday as security agents allegedly barred accredited journalists from entering the legislative building. Many reporters were left stranded, seeking clarification on the sudden restriction.
Security personnel, including the Sergeant-at-Arms and police officers, claimed they were acting on “orders from above” to prevent entry for those without permanent ID cards. Journalists argued that the National Assembly’s Information Department had not yet issued their permanent IDs, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
Efforts to negotiate access using temporary ID cards were rejected, leading to a tense standoff. The situation escalated as security officers resorted to verbal abuse and physical aggression against reporters.
In the scuffle, The Sun newspaper’s Mudashiru Atanda sustained injuries, while The Nation’s Nicolas Kalu and Voice of Nigeria’s Gloria Essien were also manhandled when they tried to intervene.
One security officer allegedly seized the phone of SuperScreen Television’s Tolu Akinyemi, threatening to ensure she never recovered it. The incident has sparked outrage among media professionals.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly denied issuing any directive to bar journalists from the complex, distancing itself from the controversial incident.
