From Abdullateef Bamgbose
Members of the Senate Press Corps were on Wednesday denied access to a one-day public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, leading to heightened tension at the venue.
Security operatives, reportedly acting on the directive of the Committee Chairman, Senator Mukailu Tokunbo Abiru, restricted journalists from covering the investigative session, sparking a heated exchange between the officers and media representatives.
The public hearing focused on “A Bill to Amend the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act No. 5 of 2020 (SB 959)” and a motion on investigative hearings into the operations of Ponzi schemes in Nigeria, with particular reference to the recent Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX) incident.
The situation nearly disrupted proceedings as members of the Senate Press Corps staged a mild protest against what they described as exclusion from a public legislative exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, the reason for the restriction had not been officially communicated. However, security personnel at the venue told journalists that the Committee Chairman had provided a list of selected media organisations approved to cover the hearing.
More details are to follow…
