Security operatives on Monday, March 3, 2025, barred journalists from entering the Lagos State House of Assembly as the House prepared to hold a crucial plenary session.
A combined team of police officers, civil defense personnel, and members of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Security Corps took positions inside and outside the assembly complex, restricting access to the premises.
Our correspondent, who arrived at the assembly around 11 a.m. alongside a journalist from The Cable, was denied entry by security personnel stationed at the entrance.
“You’re not allowed to enter,” a police officer stated when asked about the restriction. Even when informed that journalists had been invited for the plenary session, he maintained, “That’s the instruction. You cannot enter.”
The heavy security deployment follows the ongoing leadership tussle within the House, with reports indicating that Speaker Mojisola Meranda may step down to allow the return of her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa, who was removed on January 13, 2025, by over 30 out of 40 lawmakers, has insisted that he remains the legitimate Speaker. His return to the assembly last Thursday reignited tensions, prompting concerns about a possible shift in leadership.
Meanwhile, security operatives have barricaded roads leading to the assembly complex, particularly around Mobolaji Johnson Avenue and the main gate. The plenary session is scheduled to commence at 1 p.m.
