VIDEO: Drama at Senate as Senator Ningi’s ‘dangerous spear’ sparks concerns

Senator Ningi with his traditional staff at the Senate. Credit: AIT

The Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, sparked drama at the Senate on Wednesday after he entered the chamber wearing the traditional attire of the Bachama Kingdom. Videos from the scene, shared by News Central TV and AIT on Thursday, showed the senator in his attire, which included a neckpiece and a walking staff. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, used lighthearted humour to defuse tension while firmly cautioning nearby lawmakers to keep their distance from the Bauchi lawmaker. “Before I talk on this matter, I just want to say that the thing on his neck looks like a snake. And you people said he has a dagger. It is not a dagger, it is a spear. And a spear is even more dangerous. So please, distinguished senators, be careful and don’t go near Senator Ningi,” Akpabio said. When the Sergeant-at-Arms came to intervene, Ningi refused to give the staff to them, arguing that the object was a sacred traditional item for his new title. “There is no way this instrument will be given to the sergeant-at-arms. I will take it away myself. So leave me. I will take it away. You don’t know the importance of this and what it means. So go back. I will take it away myself. “This regalia is not in any way meant to threaten anybody. This regalia is our tradition. I am now the Pampamo, which means the spokesperson of the Adamawa, of the Bachama Kingdom. And therefore, on their behalf, I see it as an honour,” Ningi said. “Like many people thought, maybe this is a joke. This is not a joke. This is Africa. This is Nigeria. And I’ve been in this National Assembly for close to 19 years. I cannot, on my own, violate the regulation of this chamber. As a sitting senator, I don’t think anybody will think I’m coming to harm anybody,” he added. Ningi further revealed that the item had already been used for harmless purposes earlier in the day, saying, “I brought the spear for a photograph, and I did it with you, I did it with the leadership. It was not meant to harm anybody. This is a stainless instrument; it’s just a stick and a decoration for tradition. It’s an empty thing. Related News Senate backs adding more judges to clear case backlog Bamidele pushes six-year single term for presidents, govs Senate grills SEDC boss over ₦16.6bn budget, demands explanation “The whip should have come and found out whether what I am carrying is harmful or not, but alas, that’s typical of him; he didn’t verify, nobody questioned it.” Responding to the explanation, Akpabio noted that while the Senate respects cult