The investigation ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, into the alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s former Soviet security agency, KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), appears to have encountered obstacles.
Findings revealed that the Nigeria Police Force had invited Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, following a petition from his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In her petition, dated March 5, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senator Karimi falsely claimed that Russian KGB agents had infiltrated the National Assembly on her invitation, posing a significant national security threat. According to her, Karimi disseminated the information via a WhatsApp group for Senators on February 28, 2025, under the title: “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy.” The claim surfaced shortly after Natasha was suspended for six months from legislative activities.
Describing Karimi’s alarm as baseless, Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the police to take decisive action, emphasizing that, “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body.”
On Monday, March 25, Senator Karimi honored the police invitation, confirming that he had indeed shared the message on the senators’ WhatsApp platform. He, however, maintained that it was the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to investigate both his claims and the petition against him.
“I honored the police invitation on Monday and presented my side of the story regarding the post on the Senators’ WhatsApp group. I believe my session with the police was positive,” Karimi stated.
Police sources confirmed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was also invited to provide her account of the matter but had yet to honor the summons as of Wednesday.
However, in her reaction, Akpoti-Uduaghan denied knowledge of any police invitation.
“I could not have ignored an invitation over a petition I personally submitted. I was not invited,” she stated.
With both senators standing firm on their positions, the police probe into the alleged Russian espionage scare within Nigeria’s legislative chamber remains in limbo.
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