The Controller-General of Prisons, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, has denied that his aides assaulted a female lawmaker, Onyemaechi Mrakpor, within the National Assembly complex.
Ekpendu in a statement by the Prisons Service Public Relations Officer, Francis Enobore, in Abuja on Friday, explained that he was at the NASS premises with just four vehicles, adding that the fracas with the lawmaker took place at the security post of the outer gate.
The CG explained that it is necessary to establish what transpired before apportioning blames, noting that the incident was being investigated by the police.
The statement read, “It is important to state that whereas it is true that the Controller-General was at the National Assembly on the invitation of a Committee to attend to some official issues with some of his staff, neither the pilot car in front of him nor his official car had any confrontation with anyone. He went there with 4 cars and not 20 as alleged.
“However, since it is alleged that the assault took place within the precinct of the National Assembly, precisely at the security post of the outer gate with hordes of security personnel from various agencies including that of the National Assembly on duty, it is advisable to establish what actually transpired from these security officers.
The matter is currently being investigated by the Police.
“The Controller-General is a peace loving and law abiding citizen of Nigeria who has never been involved in any act of bravado, impunity or hooliganism and will never encourage any form of abuse on any Nigerian including the Honourable member of the National Assembly and will not tolerate any form of indiscipline on the part of his staff.”
