A tragic accident involving a fuel tanker and the convoy of Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed the life of a police dispatch rider, Ibrahim Hussaini, on Sunday.
Akpabio made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing lawmakers during plenary, expressing his condolences to the family of the fallen officer.
Dispatch riders, who are typically police personnel, escort senior government officials on motorcycles marked for official use.
The Senate President arrived in the chamber shortly after the session began and informed his colleagues that Hussaini had already been laid to rest earlier that morning.
Although he did not give a precise location, Akpabio explained that the crash occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, shortly after his convoy picked him up from the airport.
He said: “We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague. Unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered. We just buried him 15 minutes ago in Kogi State. He left two wives and four children.
“By the grace of God, I’m recommending two of his senior children for employment immediately in any parastatals that may wish to; otherwise, I’ll employ them personally in any of my private concerns.”
He noted that the officer was buried in Kogi State and is survived by two wives and four children.
Following the announcement, Sunday Karimi, the senator representing Kogi West, raised a motion on personal explanation to formally present the matter to the Senate.
Karimi described Hussaini as a Deputy Superintendent of Police who was expected to retire next year. He added that the officer, who hailed from Kogi State, had been part of Akpabio’s security detail since 2023, when Akpabio assumed office as Senate President.
Karimi also informed lawmakers of another loss: the death of Ibrahim Tukur, a long-serving driver attached to Isah Jibrin, the senator representing Kogi East. Tukur reportedly passed away at his home on Saturday after 25 years of service.
Jibrin later addressed the chamber, noting that Tukur had worked with him since his early career as a banker at the now-defunct AfriBank. He offered prayers for his former driver’s soul.
The session concluded with Akpabio asking senators to observe a minute of silence in honour of both deceased staff members.
