Isa Dogonyaro, a member of the house of representatives, is dead.

Dogonyaro, who represented Babura/Garki federal constituency of Jigawa, died on Friday in Abuja, after a brief illness. He was 46 years of age.

Akin Rotimi, spokesperson of the house of representatives, announced Dogonyaro’s passing in a statement.

“Hon. Isa Dogonyaro was a dedicated and passionate legislator who served his constituents and the nation with utmost commitment,” the statement reads.

“He was a pillar in the House, contributing significantly to the development of legislation, particularly in the area of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Control, where he served as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee.”

Rotimi said Dogonyaro was “known for his integrity, diligence, and unwavering dedication to the welfare of the Nigerian people”.

“His presence will be sorely missed in the hallowed chambers of the House of Representatives.

“Hon. Isa Dogonyaro was a detribalized patriot who was very jovial as much as he was an intellectual.

“He built strong bonds of friendship with Honourable Members from all parts of the country.

“He is survived by wives and children.”

The house spokesperson said prayers will be held for the deceased today (Friday) at the National Mosque, Abuja, after Jumaat prayers, which will be followed by interment at the Gudu Muslim cemetery, in line with Islamic rites.

In a statement mourning Dogonyaro, Tajudeen Abass, speaker of the house, said the lawmaker was a “brother, friend and patriotic Nigerian”, adding that he is “pained” by his demise.

Abass said the deceased “demonstrated zeal, determination, and dedication to nation-building”.

“He was a perfect gentleman and a sound lawmaker. His departure will leave a vacuum in the House. We will sorely miss him,” the speaker said in a statement issued by Musa Krishi, his special adviser on media.

Dogonyaro was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, abducted by the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police has regained freedom.

FIJ disclosed on its website that Ojukwu regained freedom on Friday after 10 days in police custody.

Ojukwu was said to have gone missing last Wednesday and could not be reached as his numbers were switched off and his whereabouts unknown to colleagues, family and friends.

Twenty-four hours after he went missing, FIJ made a missing person report at police stations in the area where Ojukwu was headed.

In efforts to know his whereabouts, a private detective hired by FIJ tracked the last active location of his phones to an address in Isheri Olofin, a location FIJ now believes was where the police originally picked him up.

Ojukwu’s family, consequently, knew about his detention at Panti, where they were made to understand the authorities were accusing him of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act.

Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police relocated him to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.

The police gave FIJ’s lawyers and negotiators — led by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters; Jide Oyekunle, chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Correspondent’s Chapel; and Bukky Shonibare, chairman of FIJ’s Board of Trustees — stringent bail conditions.

On Thursday, after a protest march by civil society organisations at the Force Headquarters for his release, the police said he would be released, which eventually happened Friday.

Abimbola Ojenike, Managing Partner of Slingstone LP, FIJ’s attorneys said, “Daniel Ojukwu’s case is one of the most egregious cases of human rights violation and misuse of the powers of the Police against journalists.”

He further said, “This will not go unchallenged. There’s a significant public interest in Daniel’s human rights enforcement action that goes beyond just this violation. The constitutional right to free speech is dead if journalists can no longer expose the malfeasance in government officials without fear or oppression.”

A federal high court in Abuja has refused to vacate a warrant of arrest issued against Yahaya Bello, former Kogi state governor.

Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, criticised Bello for filing applications despite his refusal to show up in court.

He described the actions of the former governor as an attempt to truncate the case preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

The commission had also obtained a warrant of arrest against the former governor on April 17.

At the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent.

Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, had told the judge that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the warrant of arrest in the first instance.

He referenced the February 9 interim injunction issued by the Kogi high court, which restrained the commission from arresting Bello.

At another court session, Adeola Adedipe, a member of Bello’s legal team, said his client would have appeared in court but was worried about being taken into custody.

Adedipe argued that the charge had not been served on his client as required by law, at the time the warrant of arrest was made.

He asked the court to revoke the warrant of arrest issued on April 17 against the former governor.