Ex-Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has dismissed reports of a hidden cache of arms and ammunition in his office as a deliberate attempt to defame him.
In a personally signed statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, the six-term lawmaker called the allegations baseless and an afterthought.
Several online outlets claimed that a significant arms cache—reportedly containing about 47 pump-action rifles and live cartridges—was discovered in his office on Tuesday.
Following the report, the Department of State Services (DSS) was notified, and operatives were dispatched to document the items, with an investigation set to follow.
Reacting to these claims, Obasa accused his detractors of fabricating a sensational story to tarnish his reputation. “I have been made aware of a viral hatchet job, masquerading as journalism, published on February 18.
This ill-conceived narrative is nothing but a ploy by individuals with malicious intent to defame my hard-earned reputation built over decades of dedicated service,” he stated.
Obasa further noted that the report relied on phantom sources and falsely linked the discovery to an uproar over the presence of DSS operatives at the Assembly complex.
He expressed confidence that the DSS, acting on its own initiative, would eventually expose those behind the persistent smear campaign.
This controversy comes in the wake of a recent speakership crisis following Obasa’s removal over allegations of financial misconduct.
He was replaced by his Deputy, Mojisola Meranda, with Fatai Mojeed appointed as the new Deputy Speaker. On Friday, Obasa approached the Lagos High Court to challenge his removal, while clashes between lawmakers, staff, and DSS operatives on Monday forced the Assembly complex to shut down temporarily—a move later condemned by the Assembly as undermining legislative integrity.
