Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was on Thursday arraigned before Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on charges of alleged defamation.
The Federal Government filed a three-count charge against the lawmaker, accusing her of defaming Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Security was tight around the court premises, with the Senator’s husband, former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili, activist Aisha Yesufu, and numerous supporters present during the proceedings.
According to the prosecution, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly made statements “knowing or having reason to believe” they would harm the reputation of the named individuals—an offence under Section 391 of the Penal Code, and punishable under Section 392.
One of the charges stems from a television interview in which the Senator claimed Akpabio and Bello were involved in a plot to assassinate her. The prosecution cited her alleged remarks: “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me… He then emphasized that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.”
Another count accuses her of repeating similar allegations during a private phone conversation with one Sandra C. Duru on March 27, 2025.
The charge sheet indicates that both Akpabio and Bello are listed as witnesses for the trial, which is expected to attract significant public and political attention.
