Strengthening Nigeria’s legal practice regulations
At Tuesday’s plenary, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read a communication from President Bola Tinubu seeking the repeal of the Legal Practitioners Act, 2004, and its replacement with a new regulatory framework for the legal profession.
The proposal seeks to establish a Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to address professional misconduct, with penalties ranging from suspension and reprimand to removal from the bar.
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Other provisions include a mandatory two-year tutelage period for new lawyers, a licensing system, stronger public-interest protections, improved access to justice, and clearer ethical standards for practitioners. The proposal also reaffirms the Body of Benchers as the authority responsible for admitting qualified persons to the bar.
Honour for deceased colleague
The Senate suspended plenary on Tuesday in honour of the late Enugu North senator, Okey Ezea.
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The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to suspend plenary in honour of the late Senator Okey Ezea of Enugu North.
Mr Ezea, 62, died the previous Tuesday after a brief illness. His son, Jideofor Ezea, announced his passing on behalf of the family.
His death comes 16 months after Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of Anambra South passed away in London.
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Debate on citizens’ right to bear arms
On Wednesday, the Senate dedicated over five hours to debating a motion sponsored by Kwara South Senator, Oyelola Ashiru, on rising kidnapping cases in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States.
In one of the resolutions adopted, lawmakers backed calls for a review of Nigeria’s firearm laws to allow responsible citizens to own or bear arms.
The proposal comes at a time when many Nigerians, especially youths, are demanding permanent licences to own guns for self-protection as kidnapping incidents surge nationwide.
Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominee list arrives upper chamber
The Senate received a request from President Tinubu to screen and confirm three nominees for non-career ambassadorial positions.
The nominees are Kayode Are (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State) and Ayodele Oke (Oyo State).
The request was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, with a directive to report back within one week.
Death for kidnappers
Lawmakers further resolved on Wednesday to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act to prescribe the death penalty, without the option of a fine, for kidnapping offences.
They agreed that once kidnapping is established in court, a death sentence should follow.
The senate president then directed the senate leader to prepare the amendment urgently, classifying kidnapping as terrorism and making the offence punishable by death without the option of a fine or judicial discretion.
Akpabio sacks two committee chairmen
Mr Akpabio removed Umar Buba and Godiya Akwashiki as chairmen of the Committees on National Security and Intelligence and Air Force, respectively, over their failure to perform oversight duties amid increasing insecurity nationwide.
Their removal followed a complaint that both committees had failed to provide timely and relevant security briefings despite rising cases of kidnapping and banditry across the country.
The Senate also resolved to meet with President Tinubu to brief him on its latest security-related resolutions.
Death Penalty Amendment Bill introduced
As directed, the amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act was introduced on Thursday and passed first reading with overwhelming support.
It has been scheduled for second reading, signalling strong legislative backing for the proposed death penalty.
Senate confirms Federal Character Commission chairman, 37 commissioners
The Senate on Thursday confirmed former lawmaker, Ayo Omidiran, as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, alongside 37 commissioners representing all 36 states and the FCT.
The nominees were confirmed after considering the report of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, presented during the plenary by its chairman, Allwell Onyesoh.
Safe-School Probe
The Senate also set up a 13-member ad hoc committee to investigate the utilisation of over $30 million allocated to the Safe-School Programme, launched in 2014 after the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.
The committee will review how funds were spent by agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Safe School Parents Watch Network on securing students, teachers, and school infrastructure from the programme’s inception to date.
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