By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, with agency report
The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has condemned the attack by gunmen in her family house in Obeiba-Ihima, Kogi State, on Tuesday,
A statement by the Media Office of the suspended Senator explained that the incident occurred on April 15.
It noted that the armed men, mistakenly believing the Senator was present, vandalised windows in her grandfather’s house.
Fortunately, it added, security operatives swiftly responded and repelled the attackers.
The statement said, “This calculated assault appears to be a direct response to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s courageous stance against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom she accused of sexual harassment.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who spoke on the incident, said, “The gunmen assumed she was in town and so attacked my family house that Tuesday night. Security operatives and community members responded promptly and chased them off during the attack.
“No one was hurt. A report on the incident was quickly made at the police area command of the LGA,” she said.
The statement from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Media team described the attack as a calculated attempt to silence the Senator representing the state’s Kogi Central Senatorial District.
“We urge the Inspector-General of Police to immediately reinstate her security details for safety considering this heinous attack.
“We condemn the brazen attack on Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s family house in Obeiba-Ihima, Kogi, on Tuesday, April 15.
“We call on the public to remain calm. Her dedication to speaking the truth and representing her constituents should not be met with violence and intimidation,” the statement read.
Reacting to the development, Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the Inspector General of Police to reinstate her security details immediately.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “Two days ago, my younger brother took some contractors to my hometown in Ihima to inspect locations for upcoming projects that I attracted to my senatorial district. The unknown gunmen assumed I was the one in town and attacked my family house that night.
“Thankfully, the civil defence team and community members responded promptly and chased them off. A report was made at the police area command, and no one was hurt.”
Part of the statement read, “We call on the public to remain calm and support the pursuit of justice for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“Her dedication to speaking truth and representing her constituents should not be met with violence and intimidation.”
*Police confirm incident
Meanwhile, the Kogi Police Command on Thursday confirmed that gunmen attacked Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s (PDP-Kogi Central) family residence in Obeiba Community in Okehi Local Government Area.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Miller Dantawaye, who confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday, said the incident occurred Tuesday night.
“The command has been fully briefed on the unfortunate and criminal incident by the Okehi LGA Divisional Police Officer. So far, no arrest has been made.
“An investigation into the incident has begun, and we shall get to its root. We will deal with those criminal elements that carried out the attack,” the CP said.
