From JAMES OJO, Abuja
Monday, February 5, 2007

Daily Sun gathered that unknown persons broke into the Personnel Department of the National Assembly, located in the annex wing of the complex on Friday morning, ransacked and stole vital documents.

Investigation revealed that the staff welfare section of the personnel department was broken into and items removed from the office of the acting director of personnel management, Mohammed Suleiman.

Head of the Sergeant-at-Arms, the security arm constitutionally empowered to ensure security at the National Assembly complex, Colonel Emeka Okere (retd), who confirmed this, said: "It was shocking the way the whole office was turned upside down. It was as if the people who invaded the office had a field day. Most sensitive files were ripped open, but we are yet to ascertain what documents they stole."
Col. Okere confirmed that the laptop of the acting director and some of his personal effects were lost in the raid.

He, however, said that thorough investigation had been launched to get to the root of the matter as his department suspected that some workers must have colluded with outsiders to loot the office.
"We are not taking the matter lightly. We have launched a full-scale investigation to arrest those behind the burglary.

I can assure you that anybody linked with it will be made to face the law," Okere said.
He said that four staff from his department who were on duty when the incident occurred are being detained for interrogation, adding that other complementary agents have done the same thing, since the security of the National Assembly was a joint effort of all the security agencies.

Recently, security devices to screen visitors were installed at entrance of the National Assembly, while the number of Sergeants-at Arms was increased with the redeployment of over 200 staff from the Accounts Department.