The Nigerian Senate has been thrown into mourning following the death of the lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Barinada Mpigi, who passed away at the age of 64 after a brief illness.
Sources within the National Assembly confirmed that the senator died on Thursday, bringing a somber mood to the chamber during legislative proceedings.
Until his death, Mpigi served in the 10th Senate and chaired the Committee on Works, a strategic body responsible for oversight of federal road infrastructure and related projects nationwide.
He was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2011 and returned for another term before moving to the Senate in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
During the 9th Assembly, he also led a joint Senate committee mandated to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, at a time the country faced revenue losses and widespread pipeline vandalism.
News of his passing filtered into the Senate chamber during committee sessions, prompting tributes from lawmakers.
Senator Mohammed Onawo described the late legislator as committed and dedicated to national service, while colleagues observed a minute’s silence in his honour.
Tributes also came from members of the House of Representatives, including Works Committee Chairman Akin Alabi, who praised Mpigi’s contributions to legislative work and national development.
His death comes just months after the passing of another serving senator, Okey Ezea, highlighting a string of losses within the current Assembly.
Mpigi’s demise has once again left the Senate grieving one of its active members, with colleagues recalling his role in infrastructure oversight and national policy engagement.
