PUNCH SECURITY MEN, LAWMAKERS CONSPIRED TO STEAL MACE —POLICE The Divisional Police Officer in the National Assembly, CSP Sulu-Gambari Abdul, yesterday blamed the April 18 invasion of the Senate and removal of the Mace by hoodlums on internal conspiracy. Abdul stated this during an investigative hearing into the incident by joint ad hoc committee investigating the incident. He said what happened at the National Assembly was an act of internal conspiracy among some security agencies and some lawmakers. “There should be cooperation between security agencies and the lawmakers but in this case, the attack came from the roof as the senators are not helping security matters. On April 16, there was an earlier hint that a group planned to invade the National Assembly and disrupt activities, which called for a build-up of security with two units of mobile police mobilised to the complex. “However, on April 18, at about 11 a.m., my attention was drawn to a group protesting a...

  PAPER REVIEW PUNCH 20 SENATE SUB-COMMITTEES DELAYING 2018 BUDGET – SARAKI The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, at the plenary on Thursday, insisted on today’s (Friday) deadline issued to standing committees to represent their reports on the 2018 budgets proposed by the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies. He said the deadline would not be extended, noting that the Senate would not be held to ransom by the 20 sub-committees that had yet to present their reports to the Committee on Appropriations. “My meeting with the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations as of Wednesday showed that a number of committees have not