Former Senator found dead in Abuja bathroom 72 hours after he was last Seen

• Senator Abdul Ningi told a Senate plenary session how former lawmaker Bello Mandiya was found dead in his Abuja apartment
• Mandiya, who lived alone, was last seen on Friday, September 4, 2026, before neighbours raised the alarm three days later
• The chief imam of Apo and a foul smell from the apartment were what finally prompted residents to break open the door

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - Former Nigerian Senator Bello Mandiya was found dead inside the bathroom of his Abuja residence on Monday, September 7, 2026, roughly 72 hours after he was last seen alive.

Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, said Mandiya, a former senator for Katsina South, had been alone in his apartment since Friday, September 4, when a colleague spotted him around 11am.

As reported by Daily Trust, Ningi delivered this account on the floor of the Senate.

Mandiya was preparing for the Friday congregational prayer when he went to bathe, but he slipped as he stepped out of the bathroom and struck his head. Because he lived alone, no one was aware of what had happened.

How the body was eventually discovered

Two separate signals drew residents' attention to the apartment over the following days.

The chief imam of Apo mosque noticed that Mandiya, who was known to join the congregation for all five daily prayers, had been absent for three straight days and raised the alarm.

Around the same time, a foul smell began spreading from his apartment to neighbouring properties, prompting further concern.

Residents who went to check on him broke open the door and found his body in the bathroom.

"And there lies Bello Mandiya in the bathroom, lifeless. Seventy-two hours, and that's a simple tragedy," Ningi told the Senate.

Ningi said he was in Saudi Arabia when his son telephoned to inform him of Mandiya's death. His son was among the group that made the discovery.

Tributes and background

Recounting the final hours before the incident, Ningi said Mandiya had placed his cap and phones on his bed before going into the bathroom, suggesting he had been ready to head to the mosque.

"He brought out his cap, his phones, and put them on the bed, and went into the bathroom to take his bath. After taking his bath, when he was out of the bathroom, he slipped and knocked his head in the bathroom," Ningi said.

Ningi, who said he had known Mandiya since 2002, used the occasion to reflect on the uncertainty of life.

"There is nothing permanent about anything. Nothing permanent about our position, nothing permanent about our wealth," he said.

He added prayers for the deceased and condolences to Mandiya's family and the people of Katsina State.

Before entering the Senate, Mandiya served as chief of staff to former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

He won election to the Senate in 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, representing Katsina South Senatorial District in the ninth National Assembly until 2023, during which he chaired the Senate Committee on Water Resources.

His death drew tributes from political figures and former colleagues who remembered him for his public service contributions at both the state and national levels.

Former Senator Kaka Yale dies in Borno

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that former Senator Kaka Mallam Yale, who represented Borno Central from 2007 to 2011, breathed his last.

Yale passed away at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital while receiving treatment.

His son, Ibrahim Yale, confirmed the death in a telephone interview on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Source: Legit.ng