Defamation Drama: Senator Natasha Faces Fresh Charges Over Explosive Akpabio, Bello Allegations
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, was on Monday arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on fresh criminal defamation charges over statements allegedly made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
The six-count charge, filed under the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, was read before Justice Mohammed Umar. The senator pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who appeared in court with her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, rights activist Aisha Yesufu, and several supporters, was granted bail on self-recognition after her lead counsel, Professor Roland Otaru, SAN, argued that her position as a serving senator and senior legal practitioner warranted lenient bail conditions. The prosecution did not oppose the application, leading the judge to approve the request.
The charges arise from widely publicised claims allegedly made by the senator, including an explosive allegation that Senate President Akpabio instructed Yahaya Bello to ensure any plot to eliminate her occurred in Kogi State, rather than Abuja, to make it appear as a local incident.
She reportedly made the claims both in public and during a televised appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” where she reiterated her belief that discussions to harm her were held between Akpabio and Bello.
The federal government contends that her statements were deliberately false, malicious, and capable of inciting public unrest, thereby breaching Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrime Act, which prohibits the intentional spread of false information that damages reputations or threatens public order.
This arraignment follows an earlier defamation case involving the senator before a Federal Capital Territory High Court. In that case, filed on May 16, 2025, with suit number CR/297/25, Akpoti-Uduaghan faces three counts of a similar nature. She was granted bail on June 19 in the sum of ₦50 million, with a requirement for a surety of integrity who owns property in Abuja.
The earlier case is scheduled to resume on September 22, 2025, while the Federal High Court matter has been adjourned to September 23 for trial commencement.
