The planned commencement of trial in the cybercrime case filed against suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, could not hold on Monday after her legal team raised a preliminary objection.
Naijaonpoint reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello, had pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.
The case had been adjourned to September 22 for the prosecution to open its case.
When proceedings resumed on Monday, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe informed the court that the prosecution was ready, with its first witness present and a television screen already mounted in the courtroom for evidence presentation.
But defence counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN), raised an objection to the trial, insisting the court must first determine his client’s notice of preliminary objection.
West-Idahosa clarified that the objection was not about the charges themselves but a challenge to what he described as the “abuse of prosecutorial powers” by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
He also complained that the prosecution had failed to serve his client with statements of its witnesses.
“The objection goes to the root of the case and must be determined before the prosecution can proceed,” he told the court.
Court Adjourns To October 20
Although Kaswe urged the court not to allow the objection to stall proceedings, Justice Mohammed Umar ruled otherwise, noting that the defence motion must be decided first.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to October 20, 2025, for the hearing of the objection.
The allegations against Natasha
Naijaonpoint reports that in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of transmitting false and injurious information calculated to incite and endanger lives.
One of the counts alleges that while addressing a gathering in Ihima, Okehi LGA of Kogi State, on April 4, 2025, she claimed Akpabio instructed Bello to arrange her assassination.
The charge reads: “That on or about the 1st day of April 2025, while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, you — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan — intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit: ‘…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have said. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here, so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me here…’ And you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same Act.”
Count Two: “That on or about the 1st day of April 2025, while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan — intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit: ‘…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have said. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here, so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me here…’ And you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, a former Governor of Kogi State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same section of the Act.”
Naijaonpoint recalls that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate six months ago over an alleged breach of its rules.
The petition against her was first lodged with the Inspector-General of Police by Akpabio, who claimed her statements had damaged his reputation and endangered his life.
Police investigations led to the filing of the six-count criminal charge now before Justice Umar.
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