These are the top ten stories that drove conversation this week.

The Senator who introduced a bill for the establishment of Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches, Sabi Abdullahi, explained why a penalty of death sentence was included in the bill.

The proposed commission would enforce hate speech laws across the country, and ensure the “elimination” of hate speech, the bill says.

The bill which passed for second reading at the Senate prescribed death by hanging for any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person.

The bill provides that “all persons who make hate speeches would die by hanging“, the Senate spokesperson said the penalty is only for those who are found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person after judicial processes in a Federal High Court.

A Nigerian, Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi, set a new Guinness World Record for “The Longest Reading Marathon (Read Aloud).”

Bayode set the new record at the YouRead library, Yaba, Lagos.

The father of three set the new record of 120 hours over a period of five days.

The moment Olawunmi Bayode broke and created a new Guinness World Record for Longest Marathon Reading (Read Aloud). Bayode read for 122 hours (5 days), taking only a 2 hour break every 24 hours.#ReadWithBayode pic.twitter.com/VDfpc2cc9l

— Y! Online #WorldCup (@YNaija) March 3, 2018

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that it spends N774 million daily as subsidy on the 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) consumed across the country everyday.

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru said the fund was due to the proliferation of filling stations in communities with international land and coastal borders across the country.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) bill will be passed this week and it indeed passed.

Today, in-line with our commitment to support the fight against corruption through legislation, we passed the Report of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

Read here: https://t.co/e7bBK5GTUO pic.twitter.com/VxUswJWToN

— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) March 7, 2018

After much criticism, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that he will be visiting Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers.

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

“In view of recent terrorist attacks, criminal activities and communal clashes in some States leading to tragic loss of lives and kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls, President Muhammadu Buhari immediately tasked the Armed Forces and other Security agencies to compile comprehensive reports on the various incidents,” the statement read.

He has since visited Taraba and Plateau.

While in Taraba the President said, “I am here to meet with the leadership of the state, to offer my condolences to those who lost loved ones and properties in violence.

“But I have my ways of gathering intelligence. I get to know what is happening across the country without necessarily going to those areas.

“I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana to also condole with the people.”

Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) has revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as “running cost.”

In an interview with TheNews, Sani said that the running cost does not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances which they also receive.

Sani said, “But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.”

In that light, an opinion piece was written by a YNaija writer outlining how Senators run Nigeria dry.

The State Security Service (SSS) finally released Tony Ezimakor, a Daily Independent journalist who was detained after honouring an invitation.

The Federal Government may declare a state of emergency in the education sector across the 36 states of the federation.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who was represented by the State Minister for Education, Prof. Anthony Gozie, disclosed this at the 20th quarterly meeting of UBEC management with the executive chairmen of SUBEB in Nigeria in Lafia.

The Senate has urged President Buhari to assent the bill to establish Peace Corps of Nigeria.

This followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) during plenary.

Melaye said the Senate should revisit the bill with a view to veto the President if he fails to rescind his rejection of the bill.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze to life imprisonment for the 2010 explosions in Abuja and Warri.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in a judgment that lasted about six hours, held that the prosecution proved its case against the two defendants in the five counts.