The National Assembly Complex in Abuja was placed under tight security on Thursday morning ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s scheduled address to a joint session of the legislature in commemoration of Democracy Day.
By 6:00 a.m., security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and other agencies had already taken strategic positions around the expansive premises. Vehicles and individuals accessing the complex were subjected to rigorous checks, with sniffer dogs, handheld scanners, and bomb-detection devices in use.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver his address by 12 noon as part of activities marking the annual celebration of Democracy Day, which honours the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
The atmosphere around the National Assembly was one of anticipation and heightened vigilance. Staff members, lawmakers, and accredited journalists were required to pass through several layers of screening before gaining access to the complex.
All entry and exit points were cordoned off, and tactical patrol units moved throughout the area in coordinated formations. Inside the House of Representatives chambers, where the joint session will take place, plainclothes operatives mingled with protocol staff, adding another layer of security.
A senior DSS operative, who spoke anonymously, described the security measures as “preemptive and necessary,” stressing that they were designed to ensure the safety of the President, lawmakers, and other dignitaries.
“There is a coordinated effort among all security agencies to maintain a safe and orderly environment,” he said.
Despite the tight security, there were no reported incidents or disturbances. The mood remained calm but closely monitored, with operatives maintaining constant radio communication.
Tinubu’s Democracy Day address is expected to highlight recent reforms, national unity, and the significance of democratic governance 31 years after the June 12 election.
