Tensions are boiling in Kogi State as the police have ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to cancel her highly anticipated Sallah rally in the Central Senatorial District. The directive, issued by Kogi State Commissioner of Police Miller Dantawaye on Tuesday, comes amid growing political unrest in the state.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya, the police justified the move by citing a ban on political gatherings recently imposed by the state government. The controversial ban, announced on Monday, has been widely criticized as a ploy to suppress opposition voices.
“Following intelligence reports on security threats in Kogi State and the subsequent ban on all forms of rallies and processions by the Kogi State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State Police Command has called on the organizers of the planned rally at Okene to cancel the event in the interest of peace in Kogi State,” the statement read.
According to the police, intelligence reports suggest that hoodlums may attempt to hijack the rally and incite violence. “The Command cannot afford to jeopardize the existing peace the State is currently enjoying,” the statement added, warning that anyone who disrupts public order will face the full wrath of the law.
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Despite the threats and restrictions, Akpoti-Uduaghan remains undeterred. The senator has vowed to proceed with what she calls her “homecoming,” insisting that her visit is solely to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr with her constituents. “I am coming home to celebrate with my people. This is not a political rally; it is a community gathering,” she declared, brushing aside government attempts to block her visit.
With tensions escalating and security forces on high alert, all eyes are now on Kogi Central. Will the police enforce their ban, or will Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan defy the odds and reclaim her political stronghold? The battle for Kogi’s political landscape is far from over, and the coming days promise to be explosive!