ABUJA — The Federal Government has filed a criminal defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly, over statements she allegedly made during a live television broadcast.
The case, registered as CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is the sole defendant in the matter.
According to the charge, the government is invoking Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, which criminalises the act of making a harmful imputation about another person with knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that such a statement would damage that individual’s reputation. The charge is punishable under Section 392 of the same code.
Central to the prosecution’s case are two high-profile figures: Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, both of whom have been listed as witnesses expected to give testimony during the proceedings.
The specific details of the allegedly defamatory remarks have not yet been made public, but officials have confirmed that the statements in question were broadcast during a televised appearance.