JUST IN: FG files criminal charge against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The federal government has filed a suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged defamatory statements made during a live television broadcast.

The case, registered as CR/297/25, was filed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court on May 16, 2025, with Akpoti-Uduaghan named as the sole defendant.

According to the charge, the government alleges that the senator was “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” referencing Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

The offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.

The list of prosecution witnesses includes Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, both of whom are expected to testify during the proceedings.

During the live interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan directly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of conspiring to assassinate her.

During the April 3 interview, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stated: “I am glad you did admit that I am a lawyer, and even if I am not a lawyer, I am a sane individual, and I do stand by what I said. In respect to the meeting or discussion Akpabio had [with] Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me.

“Just ask the Senate President why did he withdraw my security if not to make me vulnerable to attacks. Mind you, of all the senators, about 109, we all have different stories.

“I have been high profiled, vulnerable individual because of the nature of politics I have had, I have experienced since the year 2018. Very violent and dangerous. And I always have my security. So stripping me of my security because I am suspended illegally, actually it just positions me before attacks.”

This is not the first time the senator has spoken publicly about threats to her life allegedly orchestrated by high-ranking political figures.

At a homecoming rally in Kogi State weeks before the interview, she claimed: “The Senate President first reached out to Governor Ododo to recall me. But Ododo declined, saying the people love me too much. So he turned to Yahaya Bello.

“But Akpabio was not satisfied; he then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuquo who drove Yahaya Bello to the Hiltons. I was informed.

“The meeting was in two folds; he told him to commence my recall. He was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that day. The second thing was that he should kill me.”

She further alleged: “Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. Akpabio told him to make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja. It should be done here. So it will seem as if the people killed me here. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment.

She was later suspended from the Senate for six months, with officials attributing her suspension to “misconduct” rather than her allegations.