Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan Arraigned
for Alleged Defamation of Akpabio & Bello
Abuja, June 2025 – Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan
(Kogi Central) has been formally arraigned at the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT) High Court in Abuja, facing criminal charges of defamation brought by the
Federal Government over remarks implicating Senate President Godswill Akpabio
and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello in an alleged plot to assassinate her.
Charges & Allegations
- Case
Number: CR/297/25, filed May 16, 2025 .
- Legal
Basis: Prosecuted under Section?391 (imputation or allegations harmful to
reputation) and punishable under Section?392 of the Penal Code .
- Core
Allegations: During an April 3 broadcast on Politics Today (Channels
TV), she claimed Akpabio and Bello conspired to eliminate her—citing a
meeting and alleged assassination plan staged as a mob attack in Kogi. A
separate phone conversation on March 27, 2025, purportedly linked Akpabio
to organ harvesting of the late Iniubong Umoren for his wife’s benefit .
Key Witnesses
Listed as witnesses are:
- Godswill
Akpabio (Senate President)
- Yahaya
Bello (former Kogi Governor)
- Senator
Asuquo Ekpenyong
- Sandra
Duru
- Police
investigators Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba
Legal Developments
- Initial
Petition: Bello petitioned the IGP in mid-April over her rally remarks and
demanded her arrest if she couldn’t substantiate her claims .
- Court
Appearance: Akpoti?Uduaghan was summoned to court on June 2, confirming
the arraignment timeline; her legal team was preparing a defense .
Political Context
- Background:
Akpoti was suspended from the Senate in March 2025 after accusing Akpabio
of sexual harassment—an incident that triggered major controversy and her
subsequent intensified accusations.
- Counterclaims:
She alleges her prosecution aims to silence her and intimidate critics;
the BBC reported she was "shocked" to learn of the suit via
media reports .
What to Expect Next
- Upcoming
Trial Stages: The government awaits witness testimonies from Akpabio,
Bello, and others.
- Potential
Outcomes: If convicted, she risks imprisonment or fines under defamation
statutes.
- Broader
Implications: The case underscores tensions within Nigerian politics,
highlighting issues around accountability, defamation law, and
gender-based power dynamics.
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