The crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly has intensified following the arrest and detention of two lawmakers by the Department of State Security (DSS). Hon. Lanre Afinni and Hon. Sylvester Ogunkelu were detained in connection with the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa was removed by a majority of Assembly members on January 13, 2025, while he was in the United States. He was replaced by former Deputy Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda. The lawmakers who visited the DSS office reaffirmed their commitment to upholding constitutional governance and stated that the decision to remove Obasa was made through a democratic process.
The DSS detained Afinni and Ogunkelu for allegedly breaking into the Clerk of the House’s office to retrieve the mace used in Obasa’s removal. Afinni was later released on health grounds, while Ogunkelu remains in custody.
A group called Lagosians and Concerned Citizens (LCC) has condemned the detention of the lawmakers, describing it as an assault on democracy. They warned that such interference threatens the autonomy of the Legislature and the democratic process.
AT Reporter
