Mirian Gom 
Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio
ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Assembly has introduced tighter security controls around the office of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, barring aides and personal assistants from accessing a key passage.
The directive, issued in a memo dated October 2 and signed by the sergeant-at-arms, Etido Ekpo, restricts movement along the corridor linking the White House lobby to the Senate President’s office.
According to Ekpo, only senators and members of the House of Representatives will henceforth be allowed to use the passage, while all aides and personal staff must keep off.
“You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to distinguished senators, who would in turn intimate their aides or personal assistants as appropriate,” the memo read.
Ekpo, a retired brigadier-general, explained that the restriction is part of measures to ensure a “secure and safe environment” within the National Assembly complex.
The new rule comes days before lawmakers are set to reconvene plenary on October 7, following a recess that lasted more than two months.
The adjustment has sparked mixed reactions within the Assembly, with some insiders noting that aides often play critical roles in legislative coordination. Security officials, however, insist that the measure is necessary to reduce congestion and improve safety around the Senate President’s office.
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