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  • Ogijo lead poisoning: Senate raises alarm over silent public health crisis

    Ogijo lead poisoning: Senate raises alarm over silent public health crisis

    The Senate on Thursday raised a national alarm over what it described as a “widespread and scientifically verified lead-poisoning disaster” ravaging Ogijo, a densely populated community spanning the Ikorodu area of Lagos and the Ogun East Senatorial District.

    Lawmakers warned that the crisis, traced to multiple used lead-acid battery recycling factories, has escalated into a full-blown public health emergency, with children, women, and factory workers suffering life-altering health complications after years of exposure to toxic emissions.

    The motion, sponsored by Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos East) and Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), described Ogijo as confronting “an environmental catastrophe of global significance,” with contamination levels reported to be as high as 186 times the internationally accepted safety limits.

    Leading the debate, Abiru expressed shock over reports of persistent headaches, abdominal pain, seizures, memory loss, and cognitive decline, symptoms strongly linked to long-term lead exposure, reported by residents for years without meaningful intervention.

    He also referenced independent investigations by The Examination and The New York Times, which confirmed severe poisoning through blood tests and toxic soil sampling.

    Particularly alarming, Abiru noted, was evidence that processed lead from Ogijo had entered global supply chains supplying major automobile manufacturers, meaning contaminated Nigerian lead was being exported while local communities continued to inhale toxic fumes.

    “Children are dying slowly. Families have lived for years under poisonous smoke and dust,” Senator Abiru said, urging immediate federal intervention.

    The Senate, he said, has noted the recent action of the Federal Government through the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who shut down seven recycling factories and temporarily suspended the export of lead ingots from the industrial cluster.

    But he insisted the action, though commendable, was only the first step, as several operators deny wrongdoing, regulatory enforcement remains weak, and exposure in the community continues to be “extreme and unacceptable.”

    While acknowledging early interventions by the Lagos and Ogun State Governments, Abiru stressed that the Constitution mandates the State to protect citizens’ health and ensure a safe environment.

    “This is not just an environmental issue; it is a constitutional duty,” Senator Abiru said. “The lives and futures of children in Ogijo must not be traded for toxic profits.”

    He warned that rising global demand for recycled lead, combined with weak local enforcement, has transformed Nigerian communities into “sacrifice zones,” where toxic industries operate with impunity.

    With Ogijo now at the centre of international scrutiny, Senators in their contributions supported the motion and said Nigeria must strengthen regulation, enforce accountability, and ensure that no community suffers the same fate.

    “The tragedy of Ogijo must be a turning point,” the Senate resolved. “The nation cannot allow this slow, silent poisoning to continue.”

    The Senate, in its resolutions, ordered emergency medical response and environmental remediation to contain the crisis by approving sweeping measures, including:

    “Deployment of emergency medical teams by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for free toxicology screening, blood-lead testing, chelation therapy, and long-term treatment for victims.

    “A comprehensive environmental remediation by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to map soil, groundwater, air, and household dust contamination.

    Read Also: Tinubu hails Senate for swift confirmation of Ex-CDS Musa as Defence Minister

    “Strict nationwide enforcement of battery recycling and lead-processing standards by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

    “Emergency relief and temporary relocation for severely affected families through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    “A national briefing by the Ministers of Environment, Health, Solid Minerals, Labour and Employment, and the NESREA DG before the Senate Committee on Environment and Solid Minerals.

    “Creation of a National Lead Poisoning Response and Remediation office within NEMA to coordinate clean-up, medical treatment, monitoring, and global traceability of exported lead.

    The Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance was also directed to ensure full implementation of all resolutions within six weeks.

  • Stakeholders differ on Senate’s bill on compulsory national exams

    Stakeholders differ on Senate’s bill on compulsory national exams

    The Congress of University Academics (CONUA), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Nigeria, National President of Association of Formidable Educational Development (AFED) and Director, Platform Schools, Dr. Bola Obe, have expressed divergent views on the Senate’s bill mandating compulsory national examinations for pupils.

    The Senate recently passed a bill that mandates every pupil to sit for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).

    According to the Senate, this would standardise assessment, ensures that no student is left behind in the national formal education and to improve education quality. The National President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Mr. Niyi Sunmonu, in an interview with The Nation, stressed that the bill is a reform with profound implications for equity, institutional capacity and the future of learning.

    He noted that while the desire for standardisation and national benchmarking is understandable, the global experience shows clearly that countries with national examinations do not rely on a single route for all learners. He also argued that even in nations with a strong tradition of national exams, such as France, Singapore, the United Kingdom and China, multiple pathways exist alongside standardised assessment.

     The National President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Nigeria, Mr. Yomi Otubela, noted that the association appreciates any effort aimed at strengthening standards and ensuring fairness in educational assessment.

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    He acknowledged the Senate’s intention, but, however, noted that while the objective is commendable, there are important issues that must be addressed before such policy can succeed.

    He also stressed that schools across Nigeria do not operate on the same level of readiness, adding that many lacked the required infrastructure, trained personnel and logistics to administer high-stake national examinations effectively.

    Director, Platform Schools, Dr. Bola Obe, described the bill as a landmark decision that warrants commendation and would significantly impact the educational landscape in the country.

    Obe added that the examinations will enable schools to refine their teaching methods, address knowledge gaps, and better prepare the students for future challenges. He also advised that the successful implementation of this policy will require adequate infrastructure, teacher training and resources.

    The National President of Association of Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Mr. Emmanuel Kanu Orji, reiterated that while the intention to ensure every child sits for these exams is commendable, it appears to have been enacted without due consideration of the Basic Education Act of 2002.

    For Orji, implementing these compulsory exams may inadvertently reverse progress and create confusion. Citing an instance, he said that NCEE is taken by students seeking admission into Federal Government Colleges, Unity Schools, and other elite institutions, hence making it compulsory for all children may put undue pressure on students and schools. He however, advised that the bill’s implications on the education system as a whole need to be carefully considered.

  • Senate invites Finance, Education ministers over ‘collapse’ of $30m Safe School Initiative

    Senate invites Finance, Education ministers over ‘collapse’ of $30m Safe School Initiative

    The Senate has invited the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to appear before its Ad Hoc Committee investigating the ‘collapse’ of the $30 million Safe School Initiative.

    Also expected to appear before the committee are the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.); the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, and representatives of school proprietors.

    The appearance is scheduled for Tuesday next week.

    The invitations, given yesterday, followed the adoption of the committee’s work plan during its maiden meeting.

    The panel, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), is probing why the multi-million-dollar initiative — launched in 2014 to protect schools from violent attacks — failed to achieve its objectives despite significant funding from government and international donors.

    Addressing reporters after the inaugural sitting, Senator Kalu promised that the Senate would “unravel all issues surrounding the implementation of the Safe School Initiative and ensure full accountability.

    He described Nigeria’s persistent vulnerability of schools to violent attacks as a national embarrassment.

    Kalu said no fewer than 1,680 school children have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014.

    READ ALSO: Why I apologised to Afeez Owo – Wumi Toriola

     “It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said.

    The chairman promised that his committee would scrutinise every fund released for the initiative, including the $30 million mobilised between 2014 and 2021 and the recent N144 billion allocated by the Federal Government.

    “Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe,” Kalu said.

    “The committee will undertake a comprehensive financial and operational audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners.”

    He emphasised that the probe was not instituted to witch-hunt but a necessary step to strengthen accountability and ensure Nigerian children can learn without fear.

    “We owe parents the assurance that their children can go to school safely,” he said.

    The areas of investigation include: Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014, deployment and effectiveness of security personnel, early warning and emergency response mechanisms, Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools and partnerships with international donors and private-sector contributors.

    The Senate’s action followed renewed national outrage after the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and more than 200 students from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri in Niger State.

    Kalu said his committee was determined to get to the root of the Safe School Initiative’s collapse and recommend reforms that will restore confidence in the nation’s education security framework.

  • Senate seeks two-year mandatory pupillage for new lawyers

    Senate seeks two-year mandatory pupillage for new lawyers

    The Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking sweeping reforms to the Legal Practitioners Act, 2004, including the introduction of a compulsory two-year pupillage for lawyers newly called to the Nigerian Bar.

    The proposed amendment is part of a broader effort to modernise the regulation of legal practice in Nigeria and align it with global standards in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Kenya.

    Debated during plenary and sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill aims to overhaul the country’s nearly 60-year-old legal regulatory framework, which lawmakers said no longer reflects the complexities and demands of contemporary legal practice.

    Presiding over the session, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, put the bill to a vote after extensive deliberations, with the chamber unanimously approving it for further legislative action. 

    The Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters was mandated to organise a public hearing and report back within two weeks.

    In his lead debate, Bamidele described the existing Legal Practitioners Act as “almost six decades old in context and structure,” stressing that the evolution of technology, digital court processes, cross-border commercial transactions and heightened expectations for ethical conduct had rendered the current framework inadequate.

    READ ALSO; How I will tackle insecurity, by Defence minister-designate, General Musa

    “The nature of legal practice today has drastically evolved,” he said. “Accordingly, our regulatory framework must evolve to meet these new realities.”

    A major plank of the proposed legislation is the restructuring and empowerment of the Body of Benchers as the apex regulatory institution for the legal profession. 

    The bill seeks to grant the body corporate legal personality, financial autonomy, a strengthened secretariat, clear rule-making powers and a more robust institutional structure for committees and oversight.

    Bamidele also flagged persistent weaknesses in the existing disciplinary mechanism for lawyers, noting that the current system is slow, centralised and incapable of responding effectively to professional misconduct.

    The bill therefore proposes a restructured Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), with multiple panels sitting across the country, clearer sanctioning powers—ranging from suspension and striking-off to restitution, compensation and formal apology—and mandatory publication of disciplinary decisions for transparency. Aggrieved practitioners will retain the right of appeal to the Supreme Court.

    Another innovation in the bill is the creation of an Ethics, Adherence and Enforcement Committee, which would serve as a professional investigative body empowered to inspect law offices, demand documents, investigate public complaints, enforce compliance with regulatory standards and prosecute cases before the LPDC.

    A key highlight of the reform package is the introduction of a mandatory two-year pupilage programme for newly called lawyers, except where special circumstances apply. 

    This, Bamidele said, would ensure young practitioners acquire practical skills, professional grounding and mentorship before operating independently.

    The bill also introduces compulsory continuing professional development as a requirement for renewal of practising licences, a measure designed to keep lawyers up-to-date throughout their careers.

    In addition, the legislation criminalises unauthorised legal practice—a response to growing concerns about impostors posing as lawyers and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public. 

    It clearly defines what constitutes legal practice and sets penalties for violators.

    Beyond discipline and training, the proposed law also touches on the regulation of foreign lawyers, reforms to the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and enhanced safeguards to protect clients and their finances.

    Contributing to the debate, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, who recalled his experiences at the bar more than three decades ago, said the reforms were long overdue. 

    He maintained that Nigeria’s legal profession must adapt to the realities of the digital age if it must remain competitive and credible.

    “This bill is apt and germane,” Monguno said. “We are in a digital age, and our legal profession must reflect these realities.”

  • Senate summons finance, education ministers over ‘collapse’ of $30m Safe School Initiative programme

    Senate summons finance, education ministers over ‘collapse’ of $30m Safe School Initiative programme

    The Senate has summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to appear before its ad-hoc committee investigating the ‘collapse’ of the $30 million Safe School Initiative.

    Also expected to appear before the committee are the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd); Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi; and representatives of school proprietors.

    The appearance is scheduled for Tuesday next week.

    The summons, issued Wednesday, followed the adoption of the committee’s work plan during its maiden meeting.

    The panel, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), is probing why the multi-million-dollar initiative—launched in 2014 to protect schools from violent attacks—failed to achieve its objectives despite significant funding from government and international donors.

    Briefing journalists after the inaugural sitting, Senator Kalu vowed that the Senate would “unravel all issues surrounding the implementation of the Safe School Initiative and ensure full accountability.”

    He described Nigeria’s persistent vulnerability of schools to violent attacks as a national embarrassment.

    He disclosed that no fewer than 1,680 school children have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014.

    READ ALSO; How I will tackle insecurity, by Defence minister-designate, General Musa

     “It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said.

    According to him, the committee will scrutinise every fund released for the initiative, including the $30 million mobilised between 2014 and 2021 and the recent N144 billion allocated by the Federal Government.

    “Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe,” Senator Kalu said. “The committee will undertake a comprehensive financial and operational audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners.”

    He emphasised that the probe is not a witch-hunt but a necessary step to strengthen accountability and ensure Nigerian children can learn without fear. “We owe parents the assurance that their children can go to school safely,” he said.

    The areas of investigation include: Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014, deployment and effectiveness of security personnel, early warning and emergency response mechanisms, Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools and partnerships with international donors and private-sector contributors

    The Senate’s action follows renewed national outrage after the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and more than 200 students from St. Mary Catholic School in Niger State.

    Senator Kalu said the committee is determined to get to the root of the Safe School Initiative’s collapse and recommend reforms that will restore confidence in the nation’s education security framework.

  • JUST IN: Senate set to screen Defence Minister nominee General Musa

    JUST IN: Senate set to screen Defence Minister nominee General Musa

    The Senate is set to screen and confirm the Minister of Defence nominee General Christopher Musa. 

    This followed the reading of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s letter nominating the General Musa for the position of the Minister of Defence, by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.

    Akpabio said the screening would be done immediately.

    The Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has moved a motion to suspend relevant rules of the Senate on floor privileges to allow the nominee, the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado and other Ministry of Defence officials and other military officers in the entourage of the nominee.

    He also said that the main screening would be done behind closed doors immediately after introductory remarks by the nominee. 

    Details shortly…

  • Senate seeks single toll-free emergency number for Nigerians

    Senate seeks single toll-free emergency number for Nigerians

    The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking the establishment of a nationwide toll-free emergency number, aimed at creating a unified and more efficient system for reporting emergencies across the country.

    The proposed legislation, titled: “A Bill for an Act to Establish a Nationwide Toll-Free Emergency Number for Reporting Emergencies Throughout the Federation and for Related Matters, 2025” was sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua (APC – Katsina Central).

    Leading the debate, Senator Yar’adua said the bill is designed to end the current fragmentation of emergency hotlines in Nigeria by providing a single, memorable three-digit code, proposed as 112, to serve as the national emergency number.

    He noted that the bill, first read on March 20, 2024, will standardise the country’s emergency response architecture and ensure that distress calls are promptly routed to the nearest public safety answering point or control centre.

    “Emergency numbers are needed in life-threatening situations,” Yar’adua said.

    “They can be used to report road accidents, fire outbreaks, burglary, medical emergencies, and more.

    “Once a call is made, it must be answered instantly by a trained dispatcher or an automated system capable of coordinating assistance.”

    The senator cited global best practices, pointing to the United Kingdom’s 999 service introduced in 1937, the United States’ 911 system launched in 1968, and India’s unified emergency number operational since 2014.

    He lamented that, unlike these countries, Nigeria operates multiple helplines, which often slow down emergency response.

    “For instance, Lagos alone has toll-free lines for the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance, LASTMA, KAI, LASEMA, domestic violence, child abuse, and even air ambulance services. Other states also run different emergency numbers.

    “The presence of multiple emergency numbers in Nigeria has become an impediment to swift response during emergencies,” he said.

    According to Yar’adua, a unified emergency number would particularly benefit people in remote and underserved areas. With recent statistics showing that nearly 90 percent of Nigerians own mobile phones, he said the toll-free line would bring help closer to millions who urgently need it.

    “The number will provide a one-stop shop for receiving distress calls and dispatching them to appropriate response agencies,” he stressed. “It is easier to learn, remember, and dial, and it eliminates the stress of memorising several emergency numbers.”

    For the system to function effectively, Yar’adua emphasised the need for strong coordination among the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), other relevant agencies, and mobile network operators.

    Senators across party lines backed the proposal. In his submission, Ali Ndume praised the bill as “timely and very, very important,” especially in the context of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

    “One of the challenges we are having during this heightened insecurity is a lack of proper or effective communication with the affected agencies. If we do this, we are enhancing and contributing to solving the security challenges and other related criminalities we are facing in the country,” he stated.

    He urged the Senate leadership to fast-track the legislation so it could be approved and implemented without delay.

    Also speaking in support, Mohammed Tahir Monguno described the bill as essential to strengthening public participation in security and emergency reporting.

    “Our security community is always calling on the general public to report what they see… There is a need for the government to create an avenue where the public can report what they see without any hindrance,” Monguno said.

    He argued that the bill would “give strength and muscular expression” to the national call for vigilance by replacing the “multiplicity of emergency lines” with a single channel easily accessible to all Nigerians.

    The bill was subsequently referred to the Committee on Communications for further legislative action. It is expected to report back after four weeks.

  • Drama in Senate as Goje protests Akpabio’s ‘halt’ of proceedings

    Drama in Senate as Goje protests Akpabio’s ‘halt’ of proceedings

    There was a mild drama in the Senate on Tuesday after Senate President Godswill Akpabio temporarily halted proceedings to confer privately with a group of lawmakers, drawing sharp objection from Senator Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe Central).

    Akpabio arrived in the chamber around 12:10 p.m. while plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, was already in progress.

    He smoothly took over as senators considered scheduled bills.

    Barely ten minutes later, the Senate President summoned the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, to his seat for a private consultation. Soon, other senators—including Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South), Titus Zam (Benue North-West), and Barau Jibrin gathered around his chair.

    The discussions, which lasted over 40 minutes, brought the plenary to a halt.

    Many senators left their seats to chat among themselves, while others engaged in side conversations, leaving the chamber noisy and disorganised.

    Dissatisfied with the disruption, Goje raised a point of order, warning that prolonged private consultations during an active session violated Senate procedure.

    He cited Order 55 of the Senate Standing Rules, which prohibits interruptions to ongoing proceedings, insisting that such discussions should be held outside the chamber.

    “Interaction is not allowed. What is happening now is unparliamentary,” Goje said. “You should have taken this meeting outside. Everything is at a standstill; this is not our actual business.

    “We should go on recess; when we are ready, we can return and meet you.”

    Responding, Akpabio explained that he had invited the senators for a brief consultation on an urgent assignment scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Presidential Villa.

    “Everybody you see here was invited by the chair for a brief discussion in continuation of today’s sitting and in line with the order you’ve just read, whether or not we should proceed in view of a very urgent assignment at the Villa,” he said.

    Akpabio then asked Goje to approach the chair and join the discussion, an invitation the former governor declined.

    “I don’t want to be part of it,” Goje replied.

  • Senate may pass Pension Reform Amendment Bill Tuesday

    Senate may pass Pension Reform Amendment Bill Tuesday

    Respite is underway for retired police officers as the Pension Reform Bill 2025, which will give legal seal to exit of police personnel from contributory pension scheme, might be passed today.

    Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, gave the hint at a meeting with retired police officers, under the aegis of Police Retired Officers’ Forum (PROF), after weeks of peaceful protests at the National Assembly.

    Akpabio said since all security agencies have exited the scheme, there was no point retaining police retirees there.

    He lauded the service offered by retired police officers and their colleagues, noting that they have been a strong pillar in internal security.

    Following the officers’ agitation under aegis of the National Coordinator of PROF, Chief Superintendent of Police Raphael Irowainu (rtd), House of Representatives passed the amendment bill and forwarded it to the Senate for concurrence and harmonisation.

    At the meeting, Akpabio promised that all encumbrances to its passage would be removed to enable the  formerpolice officers have a better deal like their counterparts.

    Disturbed by the plight of the retirees, the Senate became emotional, promising that the bill might be passed on Tuesday with PROF at the plenary. 

    The truce came after the retired officers were initially denied entry to National Assembly Complex until spokesman of House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, addressed them and facilitated their entry.

    Rotimi highlighted contributions of the retirees who have served the nation in their youth for 35 years in the maintenance of national security. He said they deserved absolute care and better deal from the state through payment of enhanced and adequate gratuity and pension and not the peanut they are paying them, which have subjected them to hardship and dehumanisation.

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    He promised the police retirees that the House of Representatives will ensure that the Senate concurs with the bill already passed by the House of Representatives, then the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for his assent without further delay.

    Rotimi apologised on behalf of the National Assembly for not attending to them on time and thereby prolonging their stay at the National Assembly Gate from September 29 to November 25.

    He called on the retirees to leave for their states and assured them the National Assembly would expedite action on the bill.

  • Senate begins three-day security summit in Abuja today

    Senate begins three-day security summit in Abuja today

    Barring last minute change, the Senate would today begin a three-day national summit proffer solutions to what it described as the deteriorating security challenges bedeviling the country.

    According to a statement by Sir Kenny Okolugbo of the Senate President’s media office, the summit will aggregate the findings and recommendations from similar summits it already held in the six geopolitical zones.

    “The 10th Senate has concluded the zonal hearings in the six zones of the country,” Okolugbo said.

    He added that traditional rulers were not left out of the hearings because “insecurity can only be stemmed by attacking its causes at the grassroots level.”

    According to him, the wake up call by the tweet from President Donald Trump, was not the only alarm sounded on the killings in Nigeria.

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    He said: “The reality is that this grave situation had been presented on the floor of the 10th Senate by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as far back as May 2025.

    “The issue with us as a nation is that we do not pay attention to internal solutions, we get more excited at international interventions.

    “We have killings of Christians and Muslims alike, but the pain is felt even more because the Senate President today is the highest ranked Christian in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, being the number three citizen.

    “Senator Godswill Akpabio said after that motion that ‘the soldier that dies is someone’s brother, son, husband, and in the case of a female soldier, daughter, wife, and sister. Their death is just as painful as the deaths of the citizens killed.’