• 23 May, 2025
• FAITH MIMDOO KEGH
• No comment

Federal Government Files Defamation Charges Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The Federal Government has filed a three-count criminal charge against suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

The charges, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court and assigned to Justice C. N. Oji, were submitted by the Department of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

According to the government, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made harmful allegations during a televised interview on April 3, 2025. She claimed that Akpabio and Bello had plotted to assassinate her. “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night… to eliminate me,” she said.

The government argues these statements were intended to damage Akpabio’s and Bello’s reputations, violating Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code, which criminalize defamation and prescribe penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

In the second count, she alleged that the plot to assassinate her would take place in Kogi State, not Abuja, under Bello’s oversight. She claimed to have alerted the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies.

The third charge stems from a phone call on March 27, 2025, during which she allegedly told a woman named Sandra C. Duru that Akpabio was linked to a murder and organ harvesting. The prosecution claims this accusation was baseless and intended to provoke public anger and erode confidence in the National Assembly.

The Federal Government contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan used her public platform irresponsibly, making inflammatory claims that could endanger national security and democratic stability.

Justice Oji has ordered that she be formally served with the case documents before the next hearing.

FAITH MIMDOO KEGH

Manager – Oversees the daily operations, editorial planning, and strategic direction of the platform. A graduate with a solid academic foundation in media and communication, Faith brings a wealth of experience to the TokinPoint.

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