An attempt by Kogi Central Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her legislative duty today after the expiration of a six-month suspension imposed by the Senate leadership was resisted.
Natasha, who was escorted by over 20,000 supporters and constituents, met resistance at the gates of the National Assembly Complex, where security operatives allegedly fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. The development, according to witnesses, left many of the supporters injured, with some rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
This comes on the heels of reports that the senator’s office had been reinstalled within the National Assembly, a move that had given her constituents hope that she would be allowed to resume her legislative duties without hindrance.
However, the scene became chaotic, following a heavy deployment of security agents, who allegedly applied force against unarmed supporters; a development many believed undermined the peaceful procession organised to accompany the senator back to her office.
Several supporters, including women and youths, who had travelled from Kogi State to show solidarity, were seen gasping for air and crying for help as tear gas filled the environment. Emergency responders were called in to evacuate the injured, while lawmakers and staff within the premises expressed shock at the level of confrontation meted out to the senator’s entourage. “It was supposed to be a historic return for her, but it turned out to be a nightmare,” a National Assembly staff member recounted.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has condemned the use of force against her constituents, insisting that her return should have been handled with dignity and respect for democracy. “These are innocent Nigerians who came in peace; they deserve better,” she told journalists at the scene.
The incident has already sparked outrage among civil society groups and political commentators, who described the clash as a blemish on Nigeria’s democratic image and called on the leadership of the Senate to immediately address the matter.
Credit: The Sun