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The Kogi State Government has called for the arrest of Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged links with one Safiu claimed to be one of the terror suspects behind the attack on Owo Catholic Church.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mrs Uduaghan, a lawyer, is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Kogi Central Senatorial District in the 2023 elections.
The Kogi State Government also disclosed that Safiu has been linked to the dastardly attack on the Kuje Correctional Center as well as military formations within and outside the State.
The State Government in a statement released by its Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo in Lokoja, alleged that Uduaghan had exhibited enough actions to put the country at risk.
The statement reads in part: “It is worrisome for the PDP that Natasha represents to come out openly to identify with Safiu, a terror suspect that is linked to the bloody attack on a church in Owo that led to the death of scores of worshippers.
“It was a thing of relief to the people of Kogi Central that security agencies were able to apprehend their Chief Tormentor. Criminality doesn’t know political party. A criminal is a criminal and should be treated as such.
“The fact that they (PDP) claimed Safiu was their party member is an admission of strong links to him and his nefarious and deadly activities. As an administration, we are witnessing a surge in criminality in Kogi Central.
“Available data shows that Kogi Central today accounts for 51.2% of the total crime rate in Kogi State. With the billions of naira we have invested in strengthening our security architecture that has guaranteed peace in the state, we will not accept a revert into the days of bloodbath.
“We call on security agencies to arrest defenders of terrorists and ask them their levels of involvement. No matter how smart they think they are, they cannot beat our robust security architecture.
“Do they have a contract with some terrorist groups to distabilize the state? Are they afraid that Safiu and other arrested terrorists will expose their dirty and bloody deals? What do they know about some terror cells in Kogi Central? They need to provide answers.”
PDP alleges plot to plant guns, others at its candidates’ homes, campaign offices
Meanwhile, the PDP in Kogi State has raised the alarm over an alleged conspiracy by the state government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause harm to the lives, reputations and ambitions of its candidates ahead of the 2023 elections.
In a letter to the police, army and State Security Service, the party said its candidates have faced an undue and unprecedented level of persecution, intimidation and attacks against their persons as well as their close political associates.
The party added that it had uncovered plans to plant guns, ammunition and other incriminating weapons at the home of Mrs Uduaghan.