The House of Representatives yesterday asked the Federal Government to investigate the security breach on the Speaker of the House, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, by the security staff of British Airways (BA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

Addressing the press after the House had passed the supplementary budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the registration of voters for next year’s general elections, the House noted that, to deny the Speaker to board the BA aircraft amounted to a national security breach.

Bankole was on his way to London on Saturday night, using a British Airways ticket when a private security man insisted on searching the hand luggage of the Speaker against international protocol.

He discontinued the journey as a result of the embarrassment. Reacting to the development, Spokesman of the House, Mr Eseme Eyiboh, said the action of the private security should be seen as a security breach that must not be treated with levity. According to him, ‘that the Speaker protested the humiliation and the breach of his security, and declined travelling on BA and boarded another plane should be applauded.

“When the Speaker was returning, he came by British Airways,” he said, “but he was not subjected to any search in the United Kingdom,” he pointed out. Eyiboh pointed to the Schedule 6 of the British Home Office, which lists persons exempted from search among Commonwealth countries, including Speakers of member countries as number 10.

“The privileged and the security of the Speaker has been breached, undermined and injured, not as a person, but as the institution of the Nigerian House of Representatives. “We are calling on the president to investigate this incident, as a way of preserving our national sovereignty and security,” he said. The spokesman added that, “a private security hired by a foreign airways has no right to subject the institution of the House of Representatives to such disrespect,” he added.

On the swearing in of a new member, representing Uyo Federal Constituency, Mr Emmanuel Obot, Eyiboh said it was the triumph of the rule of law, which the House was proud to be associated with. “It is a promised fulfilled by the leadership of the House to allow the rule of law to prevail,” he stated.
Mr Obot thanked the leadership of the House and promised the people of Uyo Federal Constituency that the little time remaining for the end of the legislative year would be used to further their interest.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/13/national-08-13-2010-015.htm

[size=21pt]This thread is a duplicate that has been dealt with since yesterday. Check before you post, its annoying.[/size]

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-496046.0.html

It must be probed because it's Bankole. What happened when thousands of Nigerians were being subjected to more dehumanizing treatment? Did the senile reps speak up?

Probe breach of Bank-Ole's privileges? I laugh in WAZOBIA . As far as I am concerned all our leaders including Bank-Ole should be searched more than ordinary citizens. They are looters and very irresponsible leaders. All they know is collect fat salaries and allowances and loot the treasury. Is it not Bank-Ole that bought torchlights for N70k each and TV for N500k each? This is not to mention many other inflated and looted funds. In the senate, did a member not forge the signature of his colleagues? When OBJ said the legislature was corrupt and Bank-Ole's (dishonorable) colleagues wanted OBJ dealt with, what did Bank-Ole do?

We should stop deluding ouselves about our leaders. It is common place to find our looters leaders using existing laws favourable to them to seek protection while dodging same laws unfavourable to their acts. If he thinks he has nothing to hide, he should be happy to present himself for security scrutiny.