The Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has landed in her consistency despite moves by the state government and the Nigeria Police to stop the homecoming.

The Kogi State Police Command had issued security alerts urging the suspended lawmaker to shelve the planned rally.

Details shortly…

Suspended Kogi central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has expressed her enthusiasm to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr with her constituents on Tuesday.

She further asserted that any violent activities during the visit should be attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Usman Ododo, Kogi governor, and Yahaya Bello, the former governor of the state.

The lawmaker, who stated that she is looking forward to a peaceful homecoming, made this known in a post on her verified Facebook account on Tuesday.

She wrote, “My dear people of Kogi Central, I look forward to our PEACEFUL Sallah celebrations today. However, should we be met with or infiltrated by violence, Nigerians should hold Gov Òdodo, Yahaya Bello & SP Godswill Akpabio wholly responsible.”

Despite speculations that she had cancelled her visit, Natasha reaffirmed her commitment to returning to her constituency for the Sallah break.

The senator, who emphasised her statutory role in representing her constituents, expressed her eagerness to engage with them during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

“As the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains committed to engaging with her community and fostering a spirit of unity and cooperation,” the statement continued. “Her dedication to the people of Kogi Central is unwavering, and she looks forward to celebrating Eid-el-Fitr with her constituents.

“We would like to assure the public that all necessary arrangements are in place to ensure a successful and joyous event. We invite all members of the community to join us in marking this special occasion.”

Her planned visit comes just hours after the Kogi State Government imposed a ban on rallies and public gatherings, citing security concerns.

inDrive, the urban mobility platform, has unveiled a list of essential delivery tips to help customers ensure the safe delivery of their items.

The list of essential delivery tips includes making a wise choice of courier, labelling of the item with the recipient’s name and address, indicating the fragility and weight of the item to a courier, choosing the right vehicle to transport the item(s), documentation of the item or package’s condition by taking a photo, wrapping the package with recycled materials, checking the courier’s rating and comments, camouflaging the contents of the package, delivering in person expensive items like high-end electronics, cash or jewellery.

The list of essential tips was released against the backdrop of recent findings by the company, which analysed 5,000 comments left by Nigerians about their experiences with deliveries in 2024 and their appreciation of the most unusual deliveries and comments.

According to the study, the top five delivery categories include Food (17%), Clothes (15%), Electronics (10%), Documents (4%), and Medicine (2%). Other notable categories are textiles and cosmetics, which show the broad spectrum of everyday needs for which Nigerians rely on delivery services.

Speaking on the findings, Timothy Oladimeji, spokesperson for inDrive and Senior Business Development, stressed that the platform has introduced many innovations to give users a memorable and safe delivery experience.

“At inDrive, people trust us to deliver everything from daily essentials to meaningful gifts and special purchases. That’s why we are committed to making our service as reliable and secure as possible. Over the past year, we’ve seen incredible growth in new clients in Nigeria, with person-to-person (P2P) deliveries – such as parcels sent between friends, family, or individuals – tripling and B2B deliveries growing sixfold.

In 2024, we introduced improvements to geo-tracking, enhanced courier selection based on ratings and feedback, and made ordering even more seamless. We always encourage users to choose couriers carefully, using our convenient rating system to ensure the best experience. While we strive to provide a safe and efficient service, we also recommend that users take extra care when sending high-value items, just as they would with any delivery service.”, Timothy said.

According to him, it is better always to select a courier with good ratings and positive feedback to ensure a safe and reliable delivery experience.

Food deliveries took the lead, with items ranging from simple everyday meals to elaborate and carefully curated delicacies. While the most common food package is simply labelled “Food” (64%), some senders specify unique dishes, reflecting Nigeria’s rich culinary traditions.

Among the most exotic and rare deliveries are 42 tubers of yams, 5 litres of soup, a bag filled with small chops, a box of pizza, a bowl of goat meat (asun), shawarma and ice cream. Clothes are also major items that dominate as many fashion-conscious Nigerians frequently send clothes through delivery services.

Some of the unique fashion items spotted among deliveries include autogele i.e elaborate headgear used in traditional Nigerian fashion, aso-oke and asoebi i.e fabrics worn at special occasions and weddings, vintage shirts, waist trainers, wedding dresses, veils, and petticoats. Other unique items that have been delivered include esoteric crafts, a fragile bonsai tree, air fryer, bass guitar, PlayStation 5 game disc and excavator keys.

Another significant trend is the delivery of gifts, with flowers, surprise presents, and hampers being among the most commonly sent. The Nigerian love for celebration and appreciation is evident in these thoughtful deliveries.

It noted that the safe delivery tips are also available on the inDrive app.