The Senate has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of its own, Benjamin Uwajumogu, after slumping in the bathroom in his home.
The Imo North Senatorial District, Uwajumogu, was of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Senate committee Chairman on Employment, Labour and Productivity.
Reports said Uwajumogu slumped in the toilet while taking his bath and rushed to a private hospital in Apo, Abuja, where he was confirmed dead.
He was known to have been ill and recently returned from abroad where he went for treatment.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, expressed shock and sadness over the tragic news
He recalled that Senator Uwajumogu was full of life at the Senate Chamber on Tuesday, which made the news of his death even more difficult to take.
“But God gives and takes in line with his supreme sovereignty so we cannot question His will.
“Senator Uwajumogu’s sudden death is shocking and a painful loss to the ninth National Assembly where he always made robust contributions to the debates and other activities of the Upper legislative chamber. He will be greatly missed by all of us his colleagues and staff of the Senate,” Lawan said.
The Senate President prayed that God Almighty will comfort his loved ones and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate has called on the Nigerian Police authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the killing of Professor Jerome Elusiyan of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife, with a view to apprehending the assailants and bringing them to justice.
His professional colleagues have threatened to go on strike if the Police do not get to the bottom of the killing of Elusiyan.
The upper chamber, which urged the Federal Government to place high priority on the safety of Nigerians during and after the festive period, observed a minute silence in honour of the deceased who according to the Senate, “died in active service to the fatherland”.
Coming under order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Sponsor of the motion to that effect, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, said that Prof. Jerome Elusiyan, a professor of Pediatrics and child health; and Chairman, Medical Advisory Council of OAU Teaching Hospital, was attacked and killed on December 13, 2019, on his way to Benin at Iruekpen, Esan West local government in Edo State.
The lawmaker stated that Elusiyan left Ife on Thursday for Ambrose Alli University on official assignment to supervise some students as an external examiner.
He added that on his way back to Benin where he intended to pass the night before moving to Ile-Ife on Saturday, he was attacked and killed by some unknown gunmen while his driver sustained gunshot injuries.
“The erudite scholar was killed by unknown gunmen while he was in active service of impacting knowledge to the incoming generation may send fears into others who are in similar activities all over the country and other nationals who may be interested in coming to Nigeria now and in future,” Fadahunsi said.
He lamented, “Till today, the police authority is yet to arrest anyone in connection with this gruesome murder.”
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday received the report of its Committee on FCT on the 2020 FCT Appropriation Bill, 2019, under consideration by the National Assembly.
The Committee’s report was laid at the commencement of plenary by the Committee Chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari (APC, Borno North).
