Obasa denies allegations of firearms

Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has dismissed reports linking him to firearms allegedly discovered in the assembly complex.

On Tuesday, multiple online reports claimed that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) found 47 pump-action guns during a visit to the Lagos Assembly on Monday. While some reports alleged the firearms were found in Obasa’s office, others pointed to the office of the former Chief Security Officer.

Reacting to the allegations in a statement on Wednesday, Obasa described the reports as false and malicious, insisting that they were orchestrated to tarnish his reputation.

He clarified that he had been out of the country since December and only returned in January after his removal as Speaker, making it impossible for him to have any connection to the alleged discovery.

“The ill-conceived story, apart from being a complete concoction, clearly exposes its authors and paymasters as individuals of low intelligence, desperate to malign my hard-earned reputation built over decades of political leadership and legislative service,” Obasa stated.

He further alleged that following his removal from office, security operatives forcefully broke into and searched the Speaker’s office and Assembly Chamber while the House was on recess.

“Their sudden claim of discovering a ‘cache of arms and ammunition’ in the Speaker’s Office is nothing but an afterthought, having realized the futility of their illegal actions,” he added.