Fight breaks out in Nigeria's parliament

A fight broke out in the Nigerian House of Representatives Tuesday, with a number of lawmakers sustaining injuries including a broken hand. Eleven members were then suspended indefinitely for alleged breach of the Legislative House Act.

Reuters

The cause of the fight has been to traced an alleged corruption scam levelled against the Speaker of the house, Dimeji Bankole, involving about 2.3 billion naira, or 12 million euros.

The House of Representatives had been in recess and, shortly before it resumed, a group of lawmakers calling themselves "the Progressives" gave the Speaker two weeks to to resign.

Upon the house's resumption, all of the Progressives, led by Dino Melaye, were suspended indefinitely and ordered to leave the house. They refused.

The pro-Speaker lawmakers then resolved to force the Progressives out of the sitting, and a free-for-all fight ensued.

Clothes were torn, tear gas sprayed, and many lawmakers were injured.

The Progressives have taken their allegations to Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC.

The chairman of the EFCC, Farida Waziri, has described the House of Representatives as a "house of scandal".

Many former Speakers have been removed from office as a result of financial scams.