Gunmen attacked the family home of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in Okene, Kogi State, on April 14, 2025, at 11:30 PM, firing sporadically for 20 minutes, damaging windows and the roof, but causing no injuries, police confirmed to The Punch.
The senator, representing Kogi Central under the PDP, was not present, as she resides in Abuja, but her mother and siblings were unharmed, per Channels TV. The assault, reported by a neighbor, prompted a swift response from the Nigeria Police, who recovered 15 spent cartridges, per Vanguard.
Kogi Police Commissioner Bethrand Onuoha said investigations point to a politically motivated attack, with 2023 election rivalries under scrutiny, though no arrests have been made as of April 17. Akpoti-Uduaghan, 45, condemned the “cowardly act,” linking it to her advocacy for Ajaokuta Steel revival, which employs 5,000 locals, per ThisDay.
The attack follows Kogi’s 2024 security challenges, with 50 kidnappings reported, per Amnesty International. Governor Usman Ododo deployed 100 additional officers to Okene, vowing justice, as Nigeria’s 3,000 police per state struggle with 220 million people, per NPF data.