The Nigeria Police says some security agencies and  lawmakers were behind the April 18 invasion of the Senate and the subsequent hijacking of the Mace by suspected hoodlums.

The Divisional Police Officer at the National Assembly, CSP  Abdul Sulu-Gambari made the revelation on Wednesday during an investigative hearing into the incident by the joint ad hoc committee investigating the incident.

Abdul said the embarrassing incident was an act of internal conspiracy among security agencies and some lawmakers in the nation’s Upper Chambers.

His words: “There should be cooperation between security agencies and the lawmakers but in this case, the attack came from the roof as the senators are not helping matters.

“On April 16, there was an earlier hint that a group planned to invade the National Assembly and disrupt activities, which called for a build-up of security with two units of mobile policemen mobilized to the complex.

“However, on April 18, at about 11 am, my attention was drawn to a group protesting at the gate, and while I moved to address the group, I was informed that some people were running away with the Mace.

“I signaled all the entry points that nobody drives in or out but three men approached me identifying themselves as security agents and requested to be allowed to go.

“The stain of blood on their clothes made me suspicious and I ordered their arrest. In all, six people were arrested same day and handed over to the Force Headquarters alongside charms recovered from them.

“In addition, an unmarked Prado jeep and a Toyota Hilux were impounded and they are with the police.

“It was later, that I observed that the protesters were a diversionary tactic to move me out and that the protesters were the same group with those that attacked.”

Earlier, the Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Brighton Danwalex had said that reports from the preliminary investigations after the invasion revealed that Senator Ali Ndume instructed the men assigned to protect the Mace not to touch it during the invasion, noting that it was wrong for them to take instructions from the senator.

Danwalex added that the security men stationed at the Senate chambers were overpowered by the hoodlums due to the lack of functional security gadgets to enhance their operational capacities.

Chairman of the Investigative Committee and Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah therefore directed the police to furnish it with copies of the station diary where entry of the crime was made as well as make available copies of the crime routine diary, pictures of the arrested culprits and the transfer register detailing where they were transported to.