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Motion to immortalize ex-INEC boss, Humphrey Nwosu shut down amid fireworks in Senate

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The Nigerian Senate Wednesday shut down a motion to immortalize the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.

Nwosu, as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, presided over the June 12 1993 election that was annulled by former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The motion which was raised by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South, was declined during a plenary presided by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.

Abaribe rose under Order 41 and 51 which border on personal explanation to draw the attention of the chamber to the need to immortalize the late INEC boss.

The development was contrary to the provision in the Senate Standing Order as the Senate leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi contended that the order raised by Abaribe was inappropriate and the plenary had gone beyond the privilege Abaribe would have enjoyed to make senators consider it.

Earlier, the Deputy Senate President declared the point of order as controversial and expressed skepticism of its approval before allowing Abaribe to speak to the order.

Reacting to the Senate Leader’s submission, Senator representing Kebbi North, Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi insisted that Abaribe should be allowed to speak on the matter despite not getting the order correct.

Abaribe at this point insisted on consideration of his order, while he read a relevant provision of the Standing Order, saying: “In all cases not provided for in the standing order or by the sectional or other orders of practice of the Senate, the Senate shall by resolution, regulate its procedure so even if the Senate leader says that it doesn’t follow by the fact that a Senator wants to make a personal explanation you must give that Senator a chance to make that personal explanation.

“We are not under a dictatorship, Mr President. That is why I’m using Order 1(b) though this is at your discretion.”

Reacting, Barau said: “We are all experienced legislators here. Those who are grounded in our rules and I refer you to Order 42 once again. Order 42, by the indulgence of the Senate and the leave of the President of the Senate, the senator will make a personal explanation as though there is no question before the Senate, but no controversial matter may be brought forward nor may debate arise from the explanation.

“When we came this morning let me be frank, I’m a frank person. When we came this morning you approached me in respect of your desire to bring forward this motion under Order 41 and 51.

You never told me you were bringing it under Order 42 and when it came under Order 41 and 51, it was defeated.

“Now you change your mind to bring it under Order 42. We know we respect you very well. That wasn’t discussed. When the Senate Leader came in, I called him and I said Senator Abaribe is bringing a motion under Order 41 and 51.

And we agreed, normally I have to consult with the leadership, and we agreed that it was going to go forward.

“But, leader, did I tell you that he’s going to bring a motion under Order 42? So you didn’t approach me, you didn’t tell me, and I just want to be transparent and plain.

You didn’t tell me. If you had told me, there’s no way I would have stopped you. If you have told us that you are going to bring this motion under Order 42, we will”

Abaribe insisted that the motion to immortalize late Nwosu wasn’t a controversial one as posited by the Deputy Senate President.

He said: “Mr President, I don’t know what is controversial in immortalizing Humphrey Nwosu on June 12th. What is controversial there? What is our problem? What is controversial? It’s not controversial. Mr. President, just one more time, I will refer to our rules.

”Abaribe’s motion was overruled and he was told to bring it up through a motion on another legislative day.

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Hilda Baci Cooking World’s Largest Pot of Jollof Rice Today at Eko Hotel

Baci also disclosed she would be using 250 bags of rice to create what she hopes will become the world’s biggest pot of Nigerian jollof rice.

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Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci is cooking what she describes as the world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice at Eko Hotel and Suites today (Friday) in Lagos.

A video shared on her Instagram page on Thursday showed the moment the massive pot arrived at the venue of the record-breaking attempt in Lagos.

Another clip shared on her Snapchat story captured Hilda and her mother praying at the venue ahead of the event.

Baci announced on Wednesday that more than 20,000 people had registered to attend the event dubbed “Gino World Jollof Festival with Hilda Baci”

She emphasised that the event which kicks off at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 12, is free to attend, and that guests will “certainly not be paying for the amazing meal that I’m going to make for you.”

According to Baci, the historic attempt will feature a giant pot measuring six metres wide and six metres tall, in collaboration with seasoning and culinary brand Gino.

Baci also disclosed she would be using 250 bags of rice to create what she hopes will become the world’s biggest pot of Nigerian jollof rice

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Air Peace Port Harcourt Airport Incident: NSIB report finds crew under alcohol and drug influence

A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation into the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-524 aircraft, with nationality and registration marks 5N-BQQ, operated by Air Peace Limited.

The incident occurred on 13 July 2025 at Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Omagwa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The aircraft, operating as a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 persons on board, landed long on Runway 21 after an instability final approach.

The aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway.

NSIB, in a statement signed by Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, said that all passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.

Initial toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed positive results for certain substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption.

A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.

These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.

The NSIB has issued immediate safety recommendations for Air Peace Limited to strengthen crew resource management (CRM) training, particularly in handling instability approaches and go-around decisions, and to reinforce internal procedures for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring before flight dispatch.

The full preliminary report, including detailed findings, is available for download on the NSIB website.

The report represents early findings and is subject to further analysis.

The final report will present detailed conclusions and additional recommendations to enhance aviation safety in Nigeria.

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Terrorism: Ansaru commander Jailed 15 years

Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence but ordered that the defendant remain in DSS custody pending his trial for 31 other terrorism-related charges.

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A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a senior commander of the proscribed terror group Ansaru, Mahmud Usman, to 15 years in prison.

He pleaded guilty for involvement in illegal mining to finance arms procurement for terrorism and kidnappings.

The Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned Usman, who admitted that proceeds from the illicit mining supported his terrorist activities.

Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence but ordered that the defendant remain in DSS custody pending his trial for 31 other terrorism-related charges.

In the Court’s filings, Usman and his associate, Abubakar Abba, were accused to have launched a deadly attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Niger State in 2022, which resulted in mass casualties.

The charges also alleged that both men received training in weapons handling, bomb-making and guerrilla tactics from camps in Nigeria and Mali.

The DSS further claims that the two commanders masterminded the July 2022 raid on Kuje prison near Abuja, which freed more than 600 inmates, including hardened extremists.

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