THE Kogi State Police Command has asked the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan, to cancel her planned homecoming rally.
The police disclosed this in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, William Aya, and released to journalists on Tuesday, April 1.
According to the statement, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, said the rally was against the state government’s ban on political gatherings issued on Monday, March 31.
The police said its decision was based on an intelligence report indicating security threats in the state and the subsequent ban on all forms of rallies and processions by the Kogi State Government.
“The call for cancellation becomes necessary, noting that intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause disturbance of peace in the state.
The command cannot afford to jeopardise the existing peace the state is currently enjoying. In view of the security threat received on the planned rally, the Kogi State Police Command is therefore advising the organisers to cancel the event so as to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the state,” the police stated.
The command said it would not hesitate to apply the full wrath of law on anyone who causes disturbance of peace and order in the state.
The state government had on Monday banned all political gatherings in the state over what it called “security reports.”
The government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said the action was to avert any form of security breach that might destabilise the state.
The government claimed that intelligence reports indicated that some persons were planning to “stage some violent rallies in the guise of political and religious agitations” in the central senatorial district of the state.
The ICIR reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed the receipt of documents showing that the suspended senator’s constituents are recalling her from the National Assembly.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate due to an altercation she had with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangement.
Following the altercation, which led to Akpabio ordering the sergeant-at-arm to eject her from the Senate Chamber, the female lawmaker accused the Senate President of sexual harassment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for six months because of her altercation with the Senate leadership, while the Red Chamber is currently probing her allegation of sexual harassment against its president.
Meanwhile, the female lawmaker has insisted that her visit to her district is to enable her to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri with her constituents.
A reporter with the ICIR
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