Natasha Akpoti arraigned for alleged defamation against Akpabio, Bello

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, has arrived at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, for her arraignment on a criminal defamation charge brought by the Federal Government.

Natasha entered the courtroom at about 10:30 a.m., ahead of the proceedings slated to begin at 11:00 a.m., as the arraignment is being presided over by the FCT High Court, following the filing of a single-count charge marked CR/297/25.

Filed by Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, the charge accuses the senator of making false and damaging claims against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello during a live television broadcast on Channels TV’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.

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The Federal Government alleges that Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely claimed that Akpabio and Bello had plotted to assassinate her, disguising the plan as a mob or local attack.

“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.” Natasha reportedly stated during the broadcast:

In a further claim during the same interview, the senator reportedly alleged:
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me.”

The charge states that Akpoti-Uduaghan made these statements “knowing or having reason to believe” they would damage the reputations of both Akpabio and Bello, who are listed as nominal complainants in the suit.

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The Federal Government also cited a separate claim allegedly made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a phone conversation on March 27, 2025, in which she linked the death of Iniubong Umoren to organ harvesting, implicating Akpabio in a bizarre conspiracy involving his wife’s health.

Witnesses lined up to testify in the trial include Senate President Godswil Akpabio, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and four others.

As the courtroom fills with anticipation, legal analysts project that the case could carry significant political implications, especially given the prominence of the individuals involved.

Proceedings are expected to commence shortly.