By Abiola Olawale
The political anxities facing the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly has continued to deepen as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reportedly withdrawn the security escorts assigned to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda.
The development was made known by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo.
The New Diplomat reports that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has traditionally been accorded police protection as part of the standard protocol for high-ranking public officials in Nigeria.
This security detail, often comprising trained officers equipped to handle potential threats, is seen as both a privilege and a necessity given the visibility and influence of the office.
However, Ganzallo, who spoke with the press, said the alleged withdrawal of the escorts was communicated to the Speaker’s office without prior notice or detailed explanation from the police authorities.
“It was a shock to us. One day, the officers were there, performing their duties as usual, and the next, they were gone. We were simply told it was an order from above.
“As we speak, all security has been withdrawn from the Speaker, and she is now on her own,” Ganzallo stated.
This comes amid an ongoing crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
It would be recalled that the ongoing conflict revolves around the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker and the subsequent rise of Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Assembly.
The crisis kicked off on January 13, 2025, when 32 out of the 40 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly voted to impeach Obasa, who had served as Speaker since 2015.
Obasa, representing Agege Constituency I, was abroad in Atlanta, United States, at the time of his removal, which was based on allegations of gross misconduct, financial misappropriation, and high-handedness.
In a swift move, the lawmakers elected Meranda, the then-deputy Speaker, as his successor, dissolving all principal positions and standing committees in the process.
Obasa, upon returning to Nigeria, rejected his impeachment, calling it unconstitutional and a “coup.” He argued that the Assembly was in recess when the vote occurred.
Backed by some loyalists and influential figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obasa challenged his removal legally, filing a suit against the Assembly and Meranda at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on February 12, 2025.
Meranda, meanwhile, solidified her position with strong support from the majority of lawmakers, who passed multiple votes of confidence in her leadership.
