BREAKING: Cancel Your Homecoming, Police Warn Senator Natasha

The police have asked Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan to cancel her planned Sallah rally-tagged homecoming in the Central Senatorial district of Kogi State.

But a member of the senator’s team has told THE WHISTLER, “There would be no cancellation; the event is going ahead.”

The senator had earlier on Tuesday morning said in a statement that the event would proceed despite a blanket ban placed on all rallies, political events, and economic activities in some local governments on Monday.

The governor who issued the ban cited security reasons.

Following her insistence on Tuesday, the State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Ayan, called for cancellation based on the proclamation of a ban on political gatherings by the state government.

“Following the intelligence report on security threats in Kogi State and the subsequent ban on all forms of rally and procession by the Kogi State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and Kogi State Police Command have called on the organisers of planned rallies at Okene to cancel such events in the interest of the peace in Kogi State,” the police boss said.

The statement further said, “The call for cancellation becomes necessary, noting that intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause disturbance of peace in the state. The command cannot afford to jeopardise the existing peace the state is currently enjoying.

“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 in the state.

“As the Command will not hesitate to apply the full wrath of law on anyone who causes disturbance of peace and order in the State.”

Meanwhile, a member of Senator Natasha’s team said the venue of the event “is agog, and people are looking forward to it.”

She, however, declined to say whether the senator had arrived in Kogi for the event.