Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) caused panic on Wednesday when they broke into the premises of the national assembly, forcing security to flee and lawmakers to adjourn plenary.
The IMN members reportedly overpowered security operatives before breaking down the first gate, shouting “Allah Akbar” as they gained entry into the complex.
The Shiite members were protesting the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) since December, 2015.
He is facing trial over “culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and disruption of public peace”.
It took however the intervention of Shiite leaders to stop the protesters from surging past the second gatem which leads to the chambers.
They appealed to them not to proceed further, and at that point the policemen, who had fled, also joined to plead with the protesters.
Mr. Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, who was presiding over plenary, later said he adjourned plenary out of caution and that he had been briefed of the development before he made that decision.
Meanwhile, security has been enhanced around the the legislative chamber.
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