1st November, 2021
There were gunshots at the premises of Plateau State House of Assembly on Monday as supporters of Abok Ayuba and Yakubu Sanda clashed.
The clash resulted in the breaking of some doors and windows of the building.
The fighting ensued when the embattled Speaker, Abok Ayuba, and the lawmakers loyal to him were holding a meeting inside the assembly’s complex.
While the session was ongoing, some youths staged a protest in front of the assembly complex in support of Ayuba.
Meanwhile, some other youths believed to be loyal to Sanda, the speaker recognized by Governor Lalong, entered the assembly complex through the back door.
This degenerated into pandemonium as those that gained access to the building through the back door started breaking the doors and windows of the assembly to stop the lawmakers from sitting.
In a swift reaction, those that were protesting in front of the complex scaled the fence and started fighting those that were destroying properties at the assembly.
However, security personnel intervened and brought the situation under control, beefing up security within and outside the assembly complex.
The Plateau Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, and Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) in the state, Alexander Barunde are now at the assembly.
A detachment of personnel of Operation Safe Haven has also been deployed to the assembly complex.
Ayuba was on Oct. 27 impeached by 8 members of the assembly and elected Yakubu Sanda as the new Speaker.
But Ayuba and members of the house loyal to him held a session outside the assembly complex the same day during which they suspended six of the members that impeached him, and declared him(Ayuba) as the authentic speaker of the house.
However, Gov. Simon Lalong recognised Sanda as the new speaker of the assembly despite public outcry.