By Prosper Mene
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, lawmaker representing Kogi Central, raised the alarm on after armed gunmen raided her family residence in Obeiba-Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, Kogi State. The attack, confirmed by the Kogi Police Command is a dangerous escalation in the ongoing saga surrounding one of Nigeria’s few female senators, who has been at the center of controversy since accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment in February 2025.
The assault on her home comes after a six-month suspension from the Senate, imposed on March 6, 2025, which Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters claim was retaliation for her allegations against Akpabio. The Senate cited “gross misconduct” and “disruptive behavior” related to a seating dispute, but critics, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), have called the suspension “unlawful” and a violation of her free speech rights.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, the first woman senator from Kogi State, has faced relentless challenges. Her security detail was withdrawn after suspension, and she alleges threats to her life, accusing Akpabio of orchestrating intimidation tactics. On April 13, she urged the Inspector General of Police to dismiss Akpabio’s petition against her for defamation and instead investigate him for assassination threats. Her constituents have rallied in her defense, filing a lawsuit on April 4, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the suspension as a violation of their right to political participation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan dedicated to her supporters. However, the attack on her home has heightened fears for her safety. “This was orchestrated to silence my voice,” she told the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in New York on March 11, where she sought international support for Nigerian women facing political marginalization.
Civil society groups and international media, including The New York Times, have condemned her treatment as systemic misogyny in Nigerian politics. With only four women in the 109-seat Senate, her case shows struggle for gender equality in a socially conservative nation.
