By Sunday Ani
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s country home of in Ihima, Okehi Local Government, Kogi State has again been attacked on Tuesday night as gunmen stormed the residence, vandalising windows and attempting to wreak further havoc before they were repelled by security forces.
The swift response of local police officers, community vigilantes and youths in the area thwarted the attack, leading to the arrest of one suspect while others managed to escape.
The suspect, Suberu Jose, a native of the community, was alleged to be a ritualist linked to the senator’s political opposition.
He reportedly confessed to participating in three separate attacks on the lawmaker’s family home.
Witnesses said a mob attempted to lynch the suspect before he was rescued and handed over to the police. Security operatives recovered a cutlass and charms from him at the scene. The other attackers, said to be armed with deadly weapons are still on the run.
This latest assault follows a similar attack on the senator’s residence on April 15, 2025. The April incident ended without any arrest, making Tuesday night’s arrest a significant breakthrough in the investigation of the sustained attacks against the senator’s family.
The renewed violence comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Federal Government recently filed two criminal charges against her, following her public accusations of sexual harassment against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; allegations that triggered her controversial six-month suspension from the Senate.
A statement by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s media team, called on the public to remain calm and continue to support justice, insisting that the Senator’s steadfast advocacy for her constituents should not be met with violence and intimidation.