The Federal Government has slammed fresh charges against the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The new charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/25, was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on May 22, 2025, just weeks after a similar charge, CR/297/25, was instituted at the FCT High Court. Both charges were based on the comments allegedly made by the female Senator, which the government claimed were damaging to the reputations of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello.
While the case before the FCT High Court is premised on Section 392 of the Penal Code, which deals with criminal defamation, the Federal High Court charge is filed under Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act, 2024 (as amended). The government alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made online statements that “could damage the public image” of Akpabio and Bello.
The Senator has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and designed to intimidate opposition voices.
The filing of parallel charges in different courts has triggered accusations of forum shopping, controversial legal tactic where litigants file identical or similar suits in multiple courts to increase their chances of securing a favourable ruling.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is expected to appear before the Federal High Court for arraignment on June 30, 2025, following her earlier bail granted by the FCT High Court on June 19, 2025.
Reacting to the report, onr true_image took to Instagram and wrote, “While EFCC declared Yahaya Bello wanted. Fed government of Nigeria is suing a senator for defamation of Yahaya bello. What a Good time to be alive in Nigeria”
One djkrossofficial wrote, “You can’t just go around accusing people wrongly imagine Akpabio is not an influential man… Naso person papa for go prison bcos of Wetin woman cap”
One bholaromobaba wrote, “Her 6 months suspension will soon be over and she will be back into the house since u people want to be distracting her with different lawsuit”
one chidoxflash wrote, “This our federal government don’t get tired of disgracing & embarrassing themselves! For Christ sake Senator Natasha has a case with Akpabio. So why is federal government buying the case & carrying it like their biggest problem?”
one ayeni.omoniyi5 wrote, “My brother, if u have evidence for Nigeria, please don’t release it until the late hours after they have used everything they have to fight you. Then u play u last card and finished them. See, for now the government were so confused because they don’t know her last card. These is Nigeria. God bless you”
one donking19uk wrote, “This is what apc is doing to a senator who complained of being sexually harassed.pls how can this same set of people/government care and protect the “common man?”