NASS Roundup: Ebola, corps member’s death, Abuja rent, other stories from the House of Reps

Reps at plenary (

On Tuesday, House of Representatives urged the federal government to intensify efforts to stop the production and circulation of fake, adulterated, counterfeit and substandard food and drinks in Nigeria.

The resolution followed an urgent motion sponsored by Makki Yalleman (APC, Jigawa) who said unsafe food and beverages posed serious risks to public health, particularly to children, elderly people and other vulnerable groups.

Mr Yalleman cited recent enforcement operations, including the dismantling of an illegal alcohol counterfeiting syndicate at Zamfara Plaza on Lagos Island by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in April and the discovery of an illegal fruit juice factory in Badagry, Lagos State, in September.

The lawmaker said some manufacturers and distributors were falsifying production and expiry dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details and ingredient information, while others allegedly used contaminated raw materials or illegally refilled containers.

The House consequently urged NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), alongside the police, the Nigeria Customs Service, state governments and other agencies, to strengthen surveillance, inspection, sampling, laboratory testing and enforcement.

Relevant House committees were also mandated to examine the scale of the problem and the effectiveness of existing enforcement measures and report their findings within four weeks.

The House also ordered an investigation into the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Etimbuk Sunday, at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Awgu, Enugu State.

The motion, sponsored by Unyime Idem (APC, Akwa Ibom) on Tuesday, followed concerns about the treatment Mr Sunday received after falling ill during his orientation programme.

Mr Sunday, a former president of the Students’ Union Government of Akwa Ibom State University, reportedly visited the camp clinic on 7 October with symptoms suggestive of malaria or typhoid. He was treated and discharged with oral medication, but his condition later deteriorated. He died on 11 October.

Mr Idem raised questions about the treatment administered to the corps member, the delay allegedly involved in referring him to a hospital and the circumstances surrounding the handling of his remains.

He also raised concerns over reports that the body was handed over to the family naked and with visible bruises, saying the allegations required investigation.

The House thereafter mandated its Committees on Youth Development, Health Care Services, Police Affairs and Human Rights to conduct a joint investigation and report within four weeks.

The development came after the Senate had also called for an investigation, while NAFDAC said it had begun investigating the death, including allegations concerning medicines administered to the deceased.

Following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja, the House called for the immediate release of outstanding funds appropriated for health agencies to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response.

The motion, sponsored by Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), was considered against the backdrop of the confirmed case involving a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria from Uganda.

Health authorities had identified 44 close contacts linked to the case, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts, for monitoring.

Mr Ogah warned that delays in detecting suspected cases, conducting laboratory tests, isolating confirmed cases and tracing contacts could increase the risk of transmission.

He also raised concerns about gaps in public awareness, infection prevention and control supplies, healthcare workers’ preparedness and emergency response capacity.

The House, therefore, urged the Ministry of Finance to release outstanding appropriated funds to relevant health agencies. It also asked the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to assess additional resources required for the response.

The House further called for stronger surveillance involving federal and state health authorities, port health officials, the agriculture ministry and private healthcare providers, while urging collaboration with the World Health Organisation and other international health institutions.

Its Committee on Infectious Diseases was mandated to obtain updates from relevant agencies on the Ebola situation and Nigeria’s preparedness and report back to the House.

The House asked the federal government to review the proposed realignment of sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and retain the originally conceptualised route through parts of Ondo State and the Escravos–Ogheye–Ugborodo corridor in Delta State.

The motion was sponsored by Thomas Ereyitomi (APC, Delta), who argued that diverting the highway away from coastal communities could undermine the project’s original objective of improving connectivity and unlocking economic opportunities in the region.

The federal government has defended proposed changes to sections of the route on grounds including difficult terrain, flooding, weak subsoil conditions and climate-related risks. Works Minister Dave Umahi has said portions of the existing East-West Road would be used in the affected areas.

Mr Ereyitomi, however, argued that the government should first conduct an independent assessment of the engineering requirements, environmental consequences, socioeconomic impact and lifecycle costs of the alternative routes.

The House has begun consideration of a bill seeking to restrict landlords and agents in the Federal Capital Territory from demanding more than one year’s rent in advance from tenants.

The proposed legislation which passed first reading on Thursday seeks to regulate rent payments for both residential and commercial properties in the FCT. It would also prevent landlords and agents from circumventing the restriction through compulsory service charges, additional payments, artificial tenancy renewals or other arrangements designed to force tenants to pay more than a year upfront.

The Federal Capital Territory Advance Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Bill, 2026 (HB.2839), sponsored by Paul Nnamchi (APC, Enugu), with Ahmed Doro (PDP, Katsina) as co-sponsor, proposes the establishment of mechanisms for registering letting agents, receiving complaints and monitoring rental practices across the FCT, including the satellite towns.

It would also empower the proposed authority to order landlords or agents to refund unlawful payments within 30 days where violations are established.

Individuals who knowingly demand or receive rent above the permitted period could face fines ranging from N500,000 to N5 million, while corporate bodies could face fines between N5 million and N20 million. Courts could also order refunds and compensation for proven losses.

The proposal comes amid rising accommodation costs in Abuja, where tenants have complained of high rents alongside agency, agreement and caution fees.