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Court grants N50m bail to Senator Natasha Akpoti in defamation case over allegations against Akpabio, Bello

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, granted bail to suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the sum of ₦50 million.

Justice Chizoba Orji, who presided over the bail hearing, ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan must provide one surety of credible standing who resides in the Federal Capital Territory and owns landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

The bail decision followed arguments presented by both the prosecution and defence teams concerning the senator’s arraignment on a three-count criminal charge filed by the Attorney General of the Federation.

The case, marked CR/297/25, accuses Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory remarks against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello during a live appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on April 3, 2025.

According to the charge, the senator alleged that Akpabio and Bello had conspired to have her assassinated, claiming they planned to disguise the act as a local or mob attack.

The Federal Government says she made these remarks knowingly or recklessly, fully aware that the statements could damage the reputations of the two politicians.

Among the remarks cited in the charge, Akpoti-Uduaghan is quoted as saying:

“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… Who is going to get justice for me?”

In another portion of the programme, she reportedly said:

“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me… he emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi.”

The third count of the charge stems from a telephone conversation she allegedly had with Sandra C. Duru on March 27, 2025, in which she reportedly accused Akpabio of harvesting the organs of murdered job seeker Iniubong Umoren for his ailing wife.

The Federal Government maintains that these statements were defamatory and damaging, asserting that Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or should have known the implications.

The Senate President, Yahaya Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses in the case.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s arraignment was initially slated for June 3, 2025, but was delayed due to the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria’s strike action.

A related defamation case involving Akpoti-Uduaghan is also pending before Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Although prosecutors sought a bench warrant for her arrest in that matter, the court declined the request as she had not yet been properly served.

During Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for the AGF, David Kaswe, asked the court to remand the senator in prison, claiming she posed a flight risk. He cited a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application. However, the court allowed bail and adjourned the matter for trial.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who pleaded not guilty to all three charges, was represented by her lead counsel, Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), who earlier submitted a formal bail application to the court on May 27.

Olu Adeyemi

Accomplished journalist with decades of experience spanning print and digital media.

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