Top Nigerian Lawmaker Is Dead

A top Nigerian lawmaker is dead.

NewsOne Nigeria reports that the 9th House of Representatives has lost yet another member, Honourable Yuguda Hassan Kila (APC, Jigawa), who died on Thursday after a protracted illness.

While the actual cause of death is yet to be ascertained, Hon. Kila, until his demise was Chairman, House Committee on Customs and Excise.

The Nigerian lawmaker was said to have been absent from the House since the later part of 2020, and has not been seen in the National Assembly since January 2021.

Auwal Sankara, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the Jigawa State Governor, confirmed this on Thursday on his official Facebook page.

He noted that Yuguda, who represented Gwaram Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly until his demise, died at the National Hospital in Abuja where he was receiving treatment.

Sankara said, “We regret to announce the death of Honourable Hassan Kila Yuguda, the member representing the Gwaram Federal Constituency of Jigawa State.”

“Honourable Hassan Kila Yuguda was born in 1951 and hails from Kila in the Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria.

“Until his demise, he represents Gwaram Federal Constituency at the National Assembly,” he added.

The  Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, confirmed the death of the lawmaker

Although the cause of his death had yet to be ascertained, Doguwa disclosed that Yuguda was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago for severe malaria.

“It later degenerated to an acute shortage of oxygen in his (Yuguda) bloodstream. He tested negative to COVID-19 about three times and till he gave up this afternoon, he was confirmed not infected with COVID-19,” the House Leader told Channels Television in Abuja.

He added, “Myself (Doguwa) and the Speaker (Femi Gbajabiamila) are still at the National Hospital; we have secured the release of his remains and completed arrangements for an Air Force aircraft to convey his body for Islamic funeral.”

Yuguda was also the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise.