A petrol tanker on Sunday rammed into the convoy of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, killing a dispatch rider, Ibrahim Hussaini.
Mr Akpabio disclosed the incident during plenary on Tuesday, where he condoled with the family of the deceased.
Dispatch riders are police officers who ride motorcycles as part of the security convoy of prominent public office holders. The senate president has about four dispatch riders attached to his convoy.
Although Mr Akpabio did not disclose the exact location of the incident, he said it occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after members of his convoy picked him up at the Ibadan Airport.
“We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague but the vehicles that came to pick me at the Ibadan airport…….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,” he said.
The senate president appealed to heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government to grant automatic employment to the children of the late rider.
He added that if no vacancies were available, he would personally ensure their employment.
“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,” Mr Akpabio added.
Shortly after the announcement, Kogi West Senator, Sunday Karimi, raised a motion for personal explanation to formally present the incident to the Senate through a substantive motion.
While sympathising with the senate president, Mr Karimi said the late dispatch rider, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), was due for retirement next year.
He added that Mr Hussaini, a native of Kogi State, had served in Mr Akpabio’s convoy since 2023, when he assumed office as senate president.
Mr Karimi also informed the Senate of the death of Ibrahim Tukur, a driver attached to the Kogi East Senator, Isah Jibrin.
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He said Mr Tukur, who had served Mr Jibrin for 25 years, died in his home on Saturday.
The senator expressed condolences to the families of both deceased officers and to the Kogi State Government over the losses.
Thereafter, Mr Akpabio directed senators to observe a one-minute silence in honour of the late dispatch rider and the deceased driver.
