Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a request by the Federal Government to issue an arrest warrant against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for failing to appear for trial over defamation charges against her. The judge delivered this ruling after the federal government’s counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that the charge had been served on her lawyer earlier that morning in the courtroom. Justice Umar stated that, as the senator had not previously been served with the charge or a hearing notice, it was inconceivable for her to have appeared in court. On this basis, he refused the prosecution’s application for a bench warrant.
Kaswe told the court that he served the charge on the defendant’s counsel which meant that the defendant was well aware of the matter. The prosecutor prayed the court for a bench warrant to be issued against the defendant for failing to appear in court despite being aware of the charge against her.
Following the court’s ruling, the prosecution applied for substituted service of the charge through her counsel, Johnson Usman. The application was granted and the court subsequently scheduled her arraignment for June 30.
The charge was filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the Federal Government. In the criminal charge which names Senator Akpoti-Uduagahn as the sole defendant, the FG accused her of making defamatory statements during a live television broadcast.
The charge, which names Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello as the nominal complainants, alleges that Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Bello of conspiring with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja and framing it as a mob or local attack.
According to the Federal Government, these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025. The FG argues that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.
She is alleged to have said, “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. What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”
The charge also cites her statements during the program, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today program on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.’
You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”
The senator is also accused of making defamatory statements about Senate President Akpabio during a telephone conversation with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on 27 March 2025.
The alleged statement reads, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm Imoren Iniobong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was very ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.” The Federal Government contends that Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would harm the reputation of Akpabio.
Also, the Senate President, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses for the trial.
Justice Umar said as the Kogi Central senator had not previously been served the charge or hearing notice, it was therefore inconceivable that she would be present in the courtroom.
