The Police on Wednesday prevented members of the Niger State House of Assembly from sitting, claiming that those attempting to gain entrance into the assembly complex were not members.

The lawmakers including the new Speaker of the House, Alhaji Isah Kawu, had gone to the assembly complex for a sitting but found the entrance barricaded by the police.

The police defended the action claiming that it was to stop non members from getting access to the complex.

Mr Ibrahim Gambari, the spokesman for the state Police Command told NAN on telephone that the police were also there to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

“The police are doing their job of protecting lives and properties. Those who claimed to be members of the House are not members.

“Police cannot allow properties of the House to be damaged that is why they stopped people from accessing the building,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Kawu faulted the police, saying that they had no right to prevent members from sitting.

“We were prevented by the police from entering the House. Why will the speaker and members be disallowed from sitting?

“Police do not have the right to stop legislators from sitting; why will the Commissioner of Police draft his men to the legislative arm of government in the absence of trouble.

“We are planning a transition, what is the essence of democracy if handing over to elected persons was not necessary,” he queried.

The assemblymen had yesterday moved a motion to begin the impeachment of Governor Aliyu Babangida, by first of all sacking the speaker, believed to be his staunch ally in the house. The members had defied a police barricade yesterday to carry out the sacking of the former speaker.