Angry, unpaid workers allegedly attack Saraki, top Kwara politicians, Muslim clerics during Eid Mubarak prayer
Senate President Bukola Saraki was reportedly attacked by angry worshippers at a prayer ground on Sallah Day.
Policemen had to fire tear gas to disperse the protesters most of them government workers being owed salaries , reports say.
Saraki’s media office said there was in deed a protest but denied the Senate President was attacked.
Protesters allegedly hurled stones and other dangerous materials at the Senate President who is being investigated for reportedly lying about his assets.
Reports, however, say the alleged attack may have little or nothing to do with Saraki’s ongoing assets declaration wahala with the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Angry protesters also reportedly attacked other Kwara-State-born political figures who prayed at the venue.
Reports say the officials were in trouble for not using FG bail-out funds for the payment of salaries.
They alleged, according to reports, that the funds were used to pay contractors that funded Saraki’s election as President of the Senate.
The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari; the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashir; the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Ali Ahmed and several others were among those caught in the alleged attack on the Senate President.
The violent protest allegedly took place at the Eid Praying Ground in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Reports say State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was not present because he was in his home-town to celebrate Eid Mubarak.
Saraki’s media office has denied the attack happened.
“We want to say that nothing can be further from the truth as the Senate President was never attacked nor was there any attempt made on his life to warrant him being ‘whisked away’ as reported by a section of the media,” the office said in a statement on Thursday.
“We however observe that there was a protest allegedly staged by local government employees over purported non-payment of salaries which hoodlums attempted to hijacked but this development was immediately curtailed by security agents.
“Therefore, to say that the Senate President was attacked at the venue of the prayers is The Kwara State Government has since issued a statement in which it stated that majority of the workers in the state have received their salaries and that those yet to receive theirs will do so on Monday as Thursday and Friday of this week are public holidays.”
