- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has on Monday morning received the body of late Rivers state lawmaker, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, following his arrival from London.
NPO Reported that the Mpigi passed away last week Thursday in London at the age of 64.
In the wake of his death, the lawmaker’s body was repatriated back to Nigeria for funeral.
The body reportedly arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Monday.
Ahead of its arrival, Wike had led other dignitaries to the airport to receive the late lawmakers.
Video shared on social media by the FCT Minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, showed the moment the late Mpigi arrived with airport officials evacuating his coffin from the aircraft while Wike and others watched on.
According to Olayinka, the Minister had earlier visited the wife and children of the late senator in London, last week Thursday, to commiserate with them and see to the movement of the corpse to Nigeria.
Mpigi began his federal legislative career in the House of Representatives, where he served two terms between 2011 and 2019, representing the Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo Federal Constituency.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, consolidating his influence within national politics.
A long-time member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was widely regarded as a strong voice in Rivers politics, particularly on infrastructure development and constituency empowerment initiatives.