Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended senator for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, has shown up at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, in Abuja for her arraignment on charges of defamation.
Before the hearing started at 11:00 am, Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived in the courtroom at around 10:30 am to await the presiding judge’s arrival.
The charge was filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the Federal Government against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In the criminal charge, marked CR/297/25, the Federal Government accuses Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.
According to the report, the Senator asserted that Bello and Akpabio had planned her assassination outside of Abuja under the guise of a local or mob attack.
Federal Government stated that these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The FG argues that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.
She is alleged to have said, “Let’s ask the Senate President why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. What is important to me is to stay alive because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”
The charge also cites her statements during the programme, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.
‘It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.’
You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”
Additionally, it is said that on March 27, 2025, the senator spoke on the phone with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja and made defamatory remarks about Senate President Akpabio. The following is the purported statement:
“That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm Imoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”
According to the Federal Government, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would damage Senator Godswill Akpabio’s reputation.
Additionally, Akpabio, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses for the trial.
