Alleged KGB infiltration: Police in dilemma as Senator Natasha abandons petition

The Nigeria Police Force appears to be in a quandary over its investigation into the alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the former Soviet security agency.

Checks revealed that the Police Headquarters had invited Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, for interrogation following a petition submitted by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central.

According to the petition dated 5 March 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate, requested the police to investigate claims made by Senator Karimi that the KGB had infiltrated the National Assembly, posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic processes.

In her petition, she alleged that Senator Karimi shared a report titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy” on the official WhatsApp group of the 10th Senate on 23 February 2025.

The suspended Kogi lawmaker urged the Police not to treat the alarm raised by Senator Karimi lightly, stating, “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body.”

Further checks revealed that Senator Karimi appeared at Louis Edet House, the Police Headquarters, on Monday to provide his side of the story in response to the Police invitation.

Sources at the Police Headquarters described the session with Karimi as “positive with useful disclosures,” noting that the lawmaker admitted to his post. However, they revealed that the Force was taken aback when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan distanced herself from her petition and subsequently rebuffed requests to appear before the Police Headquarters.

“We reached out to her after the session with Senator Karimi. We wanted to hear from her too, but she has continued to ignore our invitation.

“This is disturbing because we don’t expect her to suddenly abandon a petition with such sensitive allegations against her colleague and then elope.

“Her excuse was that she is outside the country. However, a viral video of her visit to her constituency has since surfaced. It is difficult to reconcile her claim of being abroad with the information available to us.

“We don’t want to meddle in the ongoing intrigues in the Senate, but it would be scandalous for her to try to use the Police to join forces against her colleagues.”

When asked about the possible next line of action, the source stated that his superiors would decide how to handle the petition, which he dismissed as frivolous.

I haven’t been invited — Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan

In her reaction, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, denied the Police’s claim that she had rebuffed their invitation to shed light on her petition.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified that she had not been invited recently by the Police following Senator Karimi’s summons.

She stated: “Apart from being invited to adopt my petition, I haven’t been invited.”