Lawmakers flee National Assembly •Over Boko Haram bomb scare •It’s false alarm -Security •15 suspected sect members arrested in Warri •UK to partner Nigeria on Boko Haram

FALSE alarm over  the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram temporarily  brought activities to a halt at the National Assembly Complex, on Tuesday, as workers, legislators and others  ran for dear life, with the workers being forced to close for the day before the official time.
However, the assembly security  later dismissed the alarm as false and unfounded. The head of the National Assembly Sergeant-At-Arms, Colonel Emeka Okereke (retd), told newsmen that it was a rumour being peddled by idle workers.
He said: “There was nothing like that. It was a false alarm that only people who have nothing to do carry around.”
Suddenly, as if they were being pursued, workers, legislators and newsmen were seen running directly towards the gate for safety.  Some of them, who still had many things to do, abandoned their duty posts and ran for dear life.
The problem started around 3.30 p.m. a few hours after the  Senate had wound up sitting culminating in the closure of  banks, business centres and food canteens.
Proprietors and heads of businesses domiciled in the complex were heard calling to their staff to find their way out of the complex, just as friends and family members were calling their loved ones to know whether they were still in the National Assembly.
As a result of the incident, the National Assembly management immediately summoned an emergency meeting of the security services in the complex to review the situation.
It was later found out that  the rumour was fuelled by the Sergeants-at-Arms at the main gate, who were trying to discourage a large  number of visitors trying to force their way into the complex.
Sources within the National Assembly security  unit disclosed that, “the men at the checkpoint flew the kite in an effort to check the influx of visitors into the complex. You know the lawmakers were on recess before and as soon as they resumed, there was this sudden increase in the number of people coming into this place and there is no way we can turn them back.”

Meanwhile, about 15 persons were, on Tuesday, apprehended by security agents and subjected to screening in connection with last Sunday’s reported arrival of suspected Boko Haram members in Warri, Delta State.
The suspects, who were arrested by security agents between Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday, allegedly arrived in Warri during the period of the reported arrival of the Boko Haram  suspects.
Nigerian Tribune, however, learnt that some of them were screened by security agents who sought the assistance of the Nigerian Immigration Service to establish whether the suspects were Nigerians or foreigners.
It was gathered that the security agents also sought to establish the mission of the suspects in Warri and that those who were able to give concrete answers were left off the hook, while others were still being interrogated at the time of filing this report.
“We made some arrests. The essence is to establish the mission of the suspects in the town. The arrest does not necessarily mean they are Boko Haram members.

Source: Nigerian Tribune