Senate Mourns as Rivers Lawmaker Dies
Last update: February 19, 2026
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Senate was thrown into mourning following the death of Senator Barinada Mpigi...
The Nigerian Senate was thrown into mourning on Thursday following the death of the lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Barinada Mpigi.
CBI News understands that Senator Mpigi died at the age of 64 after a brief illness.
Until his death, Mpigi served in the 10th Senate and chaired the Committee on Works, one of the chamber’s most strategic committees responsible for oversight of federal road infrastructure and related projects nationwide.
He began his legislative career in the House of Representatives, first elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2016.
In 2019, he won election to the Senate to represent Rivers South-East on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
During the 9th Assembly, he chaired a joint Senate committee tasked with investigating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, a responsibility seen as crucial amid declining oil revenues and rising pipeline vandalism.
News of his passing filtered into the Senate chamber during Thursday’s proceedings, casting a sombre mood over lawmakers who had gathered for budget defence sessions.
Speaking at a session of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, the senator representing Nasarawa South, Mohammed Onawo, paid tribute to the late lawmaker and urged colleagues to honour his memory.
Lawmakers subsequently observed a minute’s silence.
“May his gentle soul rest in peace,” he said.
Tributes also came from members of the House of Representatives.
Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, wrote on his official 𝕏 handle: “Good night, my dear friend. Rest in Peace, Senator Mpigi Barinada. Sen Mpigi represented Rivers South East in the Senate.”
CBI News reports that Mpigi’s death comes barely three months after the passing of the lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Okey Ezea.
At the time, his family clarified that he died at a private hospital in Lagos at about 11:07 p.m. after a brief illness, dismissing earlier reports that he passed away overseas.
