Ahead of Buhari’s budget presentation, ex-militants take over NASS entrance in protest

With the presentation of the 2019 appropriation bills by President Muhammadu Buhari billed for today (Wednesday) before the National Assembly, some former Niger Delta militants have taken charge of the entrance of the Assembly complex in protest.

Their grouse is the non payment of their allowances and the sacking of the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd).

With the budget presentation scheduled for 11am, the ex-militants were seen at the Assembly gate as early as 7:30a.m.

Read also: On eve of budget presentation, Buhari serves yet another rejection to N’Assembly

They bore placards with different inscriptions including ‘ Dokubo Must Go’ and ‘Pay Us Our Stipends,’ among others.

Their intent was to draw the attention of the President to their grievances.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is currently holding a “five minutes” meeting while journalists have been ejected from the chamber.

The meeting was called shortly after the speaker Yakubu Dogara said the opening prayers.

He then called on the Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf and the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila before he ordered those who were not lawmakers in the chamber and the gallery to step out.

He added that the meeting would last “five minutes.”

The meeting held less than 25 minutes to the arrival of the President.

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