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JUST IN: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to face Senate disciplinary panel following altercation with Akpabio
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will face the Senate Disciplinary Panel following a recent heated exchange with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The Panel is expected to report back to the upper legislative chamber in two weeks.
It will be recalled that tensions flared during a heated exchange between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan over a sudden change in seating arrangements within the chamber.
The disagreement arose when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat was reassigned at the start of the plenary session, a move she resisted.
In response, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno defended the decision, citing constitutional provisions and explaining that the adjustment was necessary to accommodate opposition lawmakers who had recently defected to the ruling party.
Monguno further warned that failure to comply with the new seating arrangement could have consequences, including restricting her ability to participate in legislative discussions.
Akpabio supported Monguno’s stance, and when Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to speak from her original seat, she was denied recognition.
The situation intensified as Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly objected, arguing that her parliamentary rights had been infringed upon.
“I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege,” the Kogi lawmaker said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan created a commotion before being surrounded by the sergeant-at-arms, who attempted to escort her out of the plenary session.
Order was eventually restored after the sound system was deactivated, allowing calm to return to the chamber.
Meanwhile, Akpabio has rejected calls from some senators to impose sanctions on Akpoti-Uduaghan for her disruptive conduct during the session.
According to the Senate’s standing rules, the authority to assign seats within the chamber rests solely with the Senate President.
Clearly displeased with the change in her seating arrangement, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of repeatedly showing her disrespect.
Raising her voice in protest, she recalled a previous incident during a plenary session in 2024 when Akpabio remarked, “Senator Natasha, we are not in the nightclub.”
“Since the nightclub incident, you have been disrespecting me. How can you change my seat without my consent.
I am not afraid of you,” she screamed.
A visibly unsettled Akpabio watched as the female senator continued her outburst, while some of her colleagues attempted to pacify her.
Efforts by certain senators to escalate the situation were firmly resisted by Akpabio. Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) urged the Senate President to initiate disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan, but Akpabio refused.
At one point, Akpabio warned that she would be removed from the chamber if she persisted in her verbal confrontation. Eventually, order was restored as the lawmaker took her reassigned seat.
An angry mob has set a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus on fire after it reportedly crushed a commercial motorcyclist to death at Ogolonto Bus Stop along Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026. Eyewitness accounts and social media reports indicate that the motorcyclist was riding alone along the restricted BRT lane when the collision happened. He died at the scene.
Enraged residents and youths then attacked the bus driver and set the vehicle ablaze. Police officers and officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), who were nearby, intervened promptly and rescued the driver unharmed.
The identity of the deceased motorcyclist and the exact circumstances of the crash had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report. It was also unclear whether any arrests had been made in connection with the burning of the bus.
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ARISE News Wins Seven Honours At Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
• ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female)
ARISE News has emerged as one of the major winners at the just ended Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA).
ARISE News won seven honours across television broadcasting, news reporting, presentation and production during the ceremony.
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
The network’s flagship breakfast programme, The Morning Show, also won the Best TV Talk Show award, further strengthening its recognition in television broadcasting.
ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female).
Rufai Oseni was named Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Male), while Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpeyong received the Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Female) award.
The recognition extended to the network’s newsroom, with Ovieteme George winning Best TV News Reporter (Male) for his contributions to television news reporting.
Behind the camera, Sam Adeyemi received the Best Camera Operator/Cinematographer award, recognising his work in television production and visual storytelling.
News
Meta removes 3.7 million accounts in West Africa scam crackdown
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to suspected scam networks operating in West Africa.
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The company announced the crackdown in a statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. It involved 14 technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency coordinated the operation with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Nigerian authorities were involved.
Other countries included Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.Tech companies that took part included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe.
Meta said the partnership let participants share intelligence across digital platforms, countries and financial systems to identify criminal networks.
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