An attempt by some hoodlums to burn down the Ekiti State House of Assembly has been foiled by the state Police Command.
OsunDaily News learned that some unidentified men numbering about 10 scaled the fence of the Assembly at about 4 am on Friday in order to set the government facility ablaze.
However, operatives of the Police Rapid Response Squad who were on duty at the assembly complex repelled the attempted attack by the arsonists.
Confirming the attempted attack in a statement, the spokesman of the state police command, Sunday Abutu, said the hoodlums arrived at the scene with two 25-liter kegs of petrol to burn down the assembly.
He added that the arsonists, who came with cutlasses and other weapons, were chased by police officers into the bush and the two kegs filled with petrol were recovered from them.
Abutu said that the police had not arrested anyone in connection with the attempted arson attack, adding that the law enforcement agents were on their trail.
He said, “I can confirm to you that the hoodlums carrying two kegs filled with petrol and also armed with cutlasses and other weapons came to burn down the Assembly in the wee hours of today (Friday).
“They thought that police, deployed to the Assembly since Wednesday had left the place because our patrol vehicles had been withdrawn from the two gates. They thought the place was no longer under security cover. They came through a section of the complex but were resisted.
“The operatives of the RRS gave them a hot chase into the bush and recovered two kegs filled with petrol from them, among other dangerous exhibits. We want to warn our people not to turn the Assembly into a theatre of war.
“It is an arm of government that must be respected, so people should desist from creating any unnecessary crisis. Let me also say that our men and officers are on the ground to repel any dangerous moves being made by mischief makers to spark up trouble in any part of the state.”
Recall that the police took over the assembly on Wednesday following an alleged plot by some individuals to invade the complex a day after Gboyega Aribisogan defeated Olubunmi Adelugba to become Speaker.
Aribisogan succeeds the erstwhile Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, who died on October 19.
