From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Suspected hoodlums have burgled the Ogun State House of Assembly Complex in Abeokuta and carted away the mace of the Assembly.
Daily Sun reliably gathered that men of the underworld broke into the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo’s office overnight and stole the official symbol of the state legislature.
According to a reliable source, the incident was second time the hoodlums would burgled the Assembly Complex in the last three weeks.
When Daily Sun visited the Assembly to ascertain the burglary on Thursday afternoon, security agents denied access into the complex.
An officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) told our correspondent “We don’t want to see journalists here today. We are not entertaining visitors today.”
It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, had on Thursday morning visited the Assembly for on-the-spot assessment.
Meanwhile, leadership of the Ogun State House of Assembly and the police differed on the incident.
When contacted, the spokesman of the police command in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident.
He said the head of the mace had been recovered, while investigation into the burglary and theft had also commenced.
“Yes, There is an unfortunate incident today (Thursday) in the Assembly Complex. The hoodlums broke into the assembly through the ceiling, and removed the official mace of the House. That is why the Commissioner of Police has to go there for on the-spot-assessment,” he said.
But, the spokesman of the Assembly, Yusuf Adejojo, denied that the mace was stolen, saying the mace was in a safe place in the Assembly.
“To the best of my knowledge, the last sitting that we had was last Thursday which I’m sure everybody was aware and witnessed the presence of the mace.
“As at this minute, I cannot confirm such information to you. I’m sure it should be in a safe area where it was kept after our last sitting”, Adejojo said.