Thieves in the early hours of Thursday burgled the Ogun State House of Assembly complex and went away with the mace which is the official symbol of authority.
Although, the development was first denied by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Yusuf Adejojo, however, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo confirmed it.
Oluomo while fielding questions from newsmen said the motive behind the stealing of the mace by yet to be identified suspects, remained unknown to the assembly.
He explained that the important part of the mace, the Coat of Arms had been recovered.
The speaker said, “I do not know the motive of the stealing but it is true and the police are already on top of it.
“I have to say that even the CP himself and other top officials have been to the assembly to see what really happened.
“I am not suspecting anybody, I see it as a theft but the police investigation will tell us what really happened. This will not affect our sitting. When we are ready to sit, our mace will come up.”
Also speaking, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the burglars broke into the office of the speaker through the rooftop and went away with the mace.
He informed that the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Edward Awolowo Ajogun, had paid an on-the-spot assessment to the assembly complex.
The PPRO assured that the command is on top of the situation to unravel those behind the act and bring them to justice.
He said: “There is an unfortunate incident today in the assembly complex. The hoodlums broke into the assembly through the ceiling and removed the official mace of the house.
“That is why the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, had to go there for an on-the-spot assessment. Now, the head of the mace has been recovered and investigation has commenced.
“The CP has directed the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to take over the investigation. We are getting some clues on the perpetrators of the incident and very soon we will arrest everyone that partook in that dastardly act.
“No arrest has been made but the investigation has commenced,” he said.
Journalists were prevented from gaining access to the premises of the assembly complex, as security within and around the complex has been beefed up.