Suspended Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan cries out after armed attack on family home

Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has raised alarm over an attack on her family home in Obeiba-Ihima, Kogi State, calling on the Inspector-General of Police to urgently reinstate her withdrawn security aides.

In a statement released by her media office on Thursday, Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed that suspected gunmen targeted the ancestral residence, originally owned by her grandfather, while her younger brother was in town with contractors to inspect proposed constituency project sites.

“The unknown gunmen assumed I was in town and attacked my family’s house that night,” she said. “Thankfully, the civil defence team and community members responded promptly and chased them off.”

According to the senator, no lives were lost in the incident, but the property sustained damage. A formal complaint has since been filed with the police area command in Kogi State.

The lawmaker expressed concern over the deteriorating security around her, linking the attack to her suspension from the Senate and the subsequent withdrawal of her official security on March 6. She urged the authorities to take swift action to prevent future threats.

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Akpoti-Uduaghan has been at the centre of a tense political standoff following a confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a controversial seating arrangement, which she claimed was intentionally designed to undermine her. She further accused Akpabio of retaliating against her for allegedly rejecting his sexual advances, a claim she made publicly on national television and later took to a United Nations forum, accusing the Senate leadership of political persecution.

Her suspension from the National Assembly was accompanied by salary cuts and the loss of official protection, actions she has described as punitive and unjust.

The Senate, however, maintains that her suspension was the result of repeated breaches of legislative decorum, including refusal to adhere to seating instructions, speaking out of turn, and general misconduct. Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, emphasized that the disciplinary measures had no link to the sexual harassment allegations.

The political conflict has further deepened, with Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senate President Akpabio, and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello all filing petitions accusing one another of involvement in an alleged assassination plot. While the senator accused both men of plotting to eliminate her, Akpabio and Bello have denied the claims and urged the police to prosecute her for defamation.

Despite the mounting tensions, Akpoti-Uduaghan insists that her resolve to serve her constituents remains firm.

“My commitment to Kogi Central and the Nigerian people is unshaken,” she said. “But no public servant should have to face violence or intimidation for doing their job.”

The senator urged the public to remain calm and support efforts to seek justice and uphold democratic values.

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