Nigerian Senate Confirms Death of Senator Barinada Mpigi

Senator Barinada Mpigi, who represented the River South East senatorial district, has died at the age of 64 following a brief illness. His death was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate, which observed a minute of silence during a session on Thursday.

Mpigi was a member of the 10th Senate and served as the chair of the committee overseeing federal road infrastructure projects nationwide. He began his legislative journey in the House of Representatives after being first elected in 2011 and was re-elected in 2016 before moving to the Senate in 2019 under the platform of the People's Democratic Party.

He chaired the joint Senate committee investigating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta. His passing comes just three months after the death of Senator Okei Ezea from Enugu North.

The Senate's atmosphere was somber as members gathered for a budget defense session, with tributes paid by colleagues including Moham Onawo and Akin Alabi.