Security beef-up at NASS over fresh protests by ex-NIMC staff

Category: News Published on Thursday, 21 February 2013 05:00 Written by Isiaka Wakili

Armed policemen and soldiers yesterday morning beefed up security at the main gate of the National Assembly Complex to preventing sacked staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) from further protests.

The security presence compelled many workers of the National Assembly to park their cars behind the Eagles Square and trekked inside; while those who desired to enter with their vehicles did so through the road linking the office Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The aggrieved former staff of the commission besieged the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday and shut out legislators over alleged insensitivity of the leadership of the National Assembly to their plight. About 4,600 of them were reportedly sacked.

Meanwhile, rising from a meeting with a Senate panel yesterday, the dismissed staff said they would continue their protests if the meeting produced no desired result.

Senator Wilson Ake-led Senate Joint Committees on Labour, NIMC, Federal Character, Defence and National Intelligence had met and assured the protesters of the National Assembly’s intervention.

Also, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwa trekked from his office to the first gate of the National Assembly Complex to assure the protesters of his readiness to expedite action on their agitation.

The leader of the protesters, Mr. Ushie Fidelis decried what he called undue delay by the National Assembly to redress their grievances.