Tension erupted at the National Assembly today when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to resume duty after the expiration of a six-month suspension imposed by the Senate leadership.
The Kogi Central lawmaker, who was escorted by thousands of supporters and constituents, met resistance at the gates of the National Assembly complex, where security operatives fired tear gas canisters to disperse the gathering, reports Daily Independent.
The incident left many of her supporters injured, with some rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The development came on the heels of reports that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office had been reinstalled within the National Assembly, a move that had given her constituents hope that she would be allowed to resume legislative duties without hindrance. Eyewitnesses, however, described the scene as chaotic, noting that the heavy deployment of security agents and the use of force against unarmed supporters undermined the peaceful procession organized to accompany the senator back to her office.
Several supporters, including women and youths who had traveled 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 into a nightmare,” one National Assembly staff member recounted.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, visibly disturbed by the incident, 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 disturbing episode 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.
