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‘I was not invited,’ says lawmaker
By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force’s investigation into an alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti) has encountered a setback, with questions arising over the next steps in the case.
Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had filed a petition on 5 March 2025, requesting an investigation into claims by her colleague, Sen. Sunday Karimi of Kogi West, that the Russian agency had penetrated the country’s legislative arm.
The claim originated from a report Karimi shared on the 10th Senate’s official WhatsApp group on 23 February 2025. Titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy,” the report cautioned against potential foreign interference in Nigeria’s democracy.
In her petition, Akpoti-Uduaghan called for the matter to be taken seriously, stating, “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body.”
Following the petition, the police invited Sen. Karimi for questioning at Force Headquarters in Abuja, where he acknowledged sharing the report and provided additional information.
Karimi, who chairs the Senate Services Committee, had declared that a battle line had been drawn between him and his Kogi State colleague over who would answer questions regarding allegations that Russian KGB agents had infiltrated the National Assembly.
Confirming the invitation to a publication last Sunday, he said he would honour the police invitation on Monday, adding that they should focus more on Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had petitioned them over the alleged presence of KGB agents, rather than himself.
“I am going to the police. There is no problem there. But when we meet at the police station, we will know who has a case to answer,” said Karimi.
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Karimi added that as soon as the report was posted in the WhatsApp group, Akpoti-Uduaghan was the first senator to react, challenging him to name the alleged KGB agents.
He continued, “She was the first to react to the post. She challenged me to call out the KGB agents. Out of the 109 senators, she was the only one who raised the issue. I simply ignored her. The questions to ask are: why is she so interested in the matter? Why is she pursuing it? What is she trying to hide? Out of the 109 of us, why is she suddenly agitated? But when we meet at the police station, we will know who really has a case to answer.”
However, the investigation is now facing challenges, as Akpoti-Uduaghan has not appeared before the authorities for further clarification.
Sources within the police indicated that efforts were made to reach her, but there was no response.
“We expected her to follow through on such a serious allegation, but she has remained unresponsive,” a senior police officer said. “She initially stated that she was out of the country, but a recent video showed her visiting her constituency, which has raised questions.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, denied avoiding the investigation, stating that she was not invited beyond an initial request to adopt her petition.
“Apart from being invited to adopt my petition, I haven’t been invited,” she said.
Regarding the next steps, a police source noted that the force is approaching the matter cautiously.
“We do not want to be drawn into political disputes within the Senate,” the source said. “Our superiors will determine how to proceed with the case.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently serving a six-month suspension for gross misconduct and violation of Senate Standing Orders. She has, however, also alleged that her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio is the real reason for the suspension and not misconduct.
