BEVERLY HILLS, June 13, (THEWILL) – Legislative aides at the National Assembly have stated that the death of an aide, Hassan Abiodun, to deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Sulaiman Lasun, was because he could not seek treatment owing to the delay in salary payment.
Protesting in the main lobby of the National Assembly on Tuesday, the aides attributed the death to irregular payment of salaries and allowances by the National Assembly Management.
They brandished placards which had his obituary and read ‘NASS please pay our entitlement, no DTA for two years’.
The deceased, who was attached to the Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, was said to have suffered appendicitis and was admitted in an Abuja hospital.
He was said to have been billed for surgery on June 5, 2017.
Abiodun, however, died from ruptured appendicitis on June 9 when he allegedly could not pay the N165,000 bill for the surgery. He was buried on Saturday.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had earlier sent his Deputy Chief of Staff, Gbenga Makanjuola, to address the protesters.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Mr. Sanni Onogu, later told newsmen that his principal had summoned the National Assembly Management to a meeting over the matter.