Police Clash with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Over Sallah Rally Ban in Kogi

A political showdown is brewing in Kogi State as the police have ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to cancel her planned Sallah rally, citing security threats and a state-imposed ban on political gatherings.

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, in a statement released by Police Public Relations Officer ASP William Aya on Tuesday, warned that intelligence reports indicate hoodlums could hijack the rally to incite violence.

“In view of the security threat received on the planned rally, the Kogi State Police Command is therefore advising the organisers to cancel the event so as to avoid any breakdown of law and order,” the statement read, adding that anyone who defies the order will face the “full wrath of the law.”

However, in a bold defiance of the ban, Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to go ahead with her event, dismissing it as merely a “homecoming” to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr with her constituents.

Critics argue that the ban is a politically motivated move by the state government to stifle opposition voices, while supporters of the decision insist it is necessary to maintain peace. With tensions rising, the senator’s insistence on defying the directive sets the stage for a high-stakes confrontation between the police and one of Kogi’s most vocal politicians.