Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South, has urged the upper legislative chamber to support Uchenna, the wife of the late lawmaker Ifeanyi Ubah, to succeed him.

Ndume made the call during a valedictory session held on Tuesday in the Senate to honor the late Anambra South senator, who passed away in July at the age of 52.

He told his colleagues that Ubah’s wife should take over his seat in the Senate to preserve his “legacy and aspirations.”

“This has happened before. When Chuba Okadigbo, a great politician, passed away, his wife, Margery, joined the Senate and carried on his legacy,” he said.

“Similarly, our first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, served in this chamber, largely supported by the goodwill of Lagosians and the legacy of her husband, who was a former governor. In fact, she told me that her dream was to be a pastor.”

Ndume also mentioned that Abdulaziz Yar’Adua carried on the political legacy of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua by joining the Senate.

“Senator (Iyabo) Obasanjo, if you remember, is the daughter of General Obasanjo. Sitting in front of me is Dafinone; his father was a great senator.”

“What I want to appeal to you, Mr. President, is that we keep the spirit and aspirations of Ifeanyi alive.”

“His wife, fortunately, is around 50 years old and has been a wonderful support system to him.”

“Finally, Mr. President, my appeal to you and distinguished colleagues is that we support his wife, who is around 50 years or so—a wonderful wife.”

“Let us support the family to have a representative in the chamber who embodies the spirit of Ifeanyi when the election for the Anambra South senatorial district comes up. This will ensure continuity and honor for the Anambra South senatorial district.”

Senate membership is neither automatic nor transferable from one individual to another.

According to Section 65 of the 1999 Constitution, a person can only become a member of the Senate through election.

The individual must be qualified for election by having been educated up to at least the school certificate level or its equivalent, being a member of a political party, and being sponsored by that party.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reported that suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed its monitoring team in Kaduna, leaving seven officers missing.

In a statement on Tuesday, Afolabi Babawale, the NSCDC spokesperson, explained that the incident occurred on Monday in the Farin-Kasa area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna, while the monitoring team was inspecting the national grid installation in Shiroro, Niger State.

Babawale stated that the team, consisting of nine officers and 71 other ranks, was mobilized in response to recent attacks on power lines that had caused a blackout in northern Nigeria.

“As they patrolled vulnerable areas, they encountered stranded expatriates near Dagwachi village and allowed them to join the convoy for safety,” the statement reads.

“Unbeknownst to the team, over 200 armed Boko Haram militants had laid a deadly ambush from a hilltop, ready to unleash a torrent of gunfire on the unsuspecting convoy.

“Determined and resourceful, the NSCDC operatives fought back valiantly, managing to neutralise over 50 insurgents during the exchange.

“However, the chaos left seven officers unaccounted for, prompting an urgent search in the bush for their whereabouts. Those who sustained injuries are currently receiving medical treatment.”

Ahmed Audi, the NSCDC commandant-general, condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act against personnel dedicated to the nation’s defence.

He praised the bravery and determination of the operatives, reiterating the corps’ commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and infrastructure despite the growing security threats.

The Nigerian Army has promised to probe officers allegedly involved in the assault of a couple in Abuja.

On Tuesday, a video of some soldiers, including a “major general,” seemingly beating up a couple in the nation’s capital city, went viral.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers stopped the couple for “unlawfully overtaking” their convoy.

The video showed men in military uniforms hitting the man as his wife hollered and protested.

“How did I bash your car? Oh God!!” the man said as he took one punch after another while writhing in pain.

Blood could be seen dripping from the man’s forehead following a slap from a soldier.

The couple said after the assault, the “major general” and his aide handcuffed them, shoved them into the trunk of a car, from where they were whisked to the Gwarimpa police station.

The soldiers reportedly ordered police officers to detain the couple indefinitely.

• ‘CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO INCIDENT UNCLEAR’

In a statement on Wednesday, Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, said Olufemi Oluyede, the acting chief of army staff, has ordered an immediate investigation of the incident.

“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a viral audio-visual recording circulating on social media platforms, purportedly showing a senior Army officer and 2 other soldiers in an altercation with a man and woman within the Abuja metropolis,” the statement reads.

“The circumstances leading to this incident are not clear at the moment.

“However, the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered an immediate investigation to unravel the true circumstances surrounding this altercation.

“The NA remains committed to serving and protecting all law-abiding Nigerians as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we urge the public to be rest assured that due diligence will be applied to reach a logical conclusion on this matter.”

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