The suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was, Thursday, arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over defamation, was granted bail in the sum of N50 million.
Straightnews had reported that the arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially scheduled for June 3, 2025.
The Attorney General of the Federation, in three criminal charges marked CR/297/25, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.
Also read: Nigerian Govt Sues Natasha over Alleged Defamatory Remarks
The charge, which lists the Akpabio and the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as nominal complainants, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Bello had conspired with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, disguising 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 Federal Government claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made the imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.
Natasha, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Chizoba Orji, thereafter, admitted her to bail after taking arguments for and against the bail application from the parties in the suit.
The court also demanded one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in FCT and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
This is as the US-based lady and media strategist, Dr. Sandra Duru also known as Prof Mgbe mocked those she tagged: ‘Natasha gullible and noisemakers’ for celebrating as she was granted bail.
However, the strike embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment on June 3.
On Monday, the suspended senator did not appear for arraignment, a development which made the prosecution apply for a bench warrant against her.
The court, however, refused the prayers.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel for the Attorney General of the Federation, David Kaswe, told the court that the matter was for the arraignment of the defendant who was in court.
According to the charge, Akpoti-Uduaghan was 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 programme on Channels TV as saying, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme 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 was also accused of making defamatory statements about Akpabio during a telephone conversation with a rights activist, Sandra C. Duru, in Abuja, on March 27, 2025.
The alleged statement is as follows, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm…. Umoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”
The Federal Government contended that Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that the claim would harm Akpabio’s reputation of Akpabio.
Her legal team, led by Prof Roland Otaru (SAN), afterwards informed the court that a bail application filed on May 27 had been submitted before the court.
Kaswe informed the court that the Federal Government was opposing the bail application and called the attention of the judge to a counter-affidavit filed before it to this effect.
He proceeded to ask the court to remand the Kogi senator in prison as she posed a flight risk.
He said, “In view of the charge, we will be asking for a remand in a correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of the charge.”
The defence counsel interjected, stating, “We already filed an application for bail. We are in a court of law for justice. We have a motion on notice dated May 27, 2025. You represent the Ministry of Justice not the Ministry of Injustice.
“If your lordship graciously will, we urge your lordship to grant the bail application. This is a case where your lordship has the discretion to grant bail and nobody can query it, not even the President can query it. Even on self-recognition because it is not a case of murder.”
Referencing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Otaru added that anybody charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“And she pled not guilty, she is standing there, so she is innocent until proven otherwise,” he added.
He defended Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying that as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, she is not a flight risk and had deposed to an oath not to obstruct the investigation.
Kaswe, responding to Otaru’s submission, told the court that the Federal Government filed a five-paragraph counter-affidavit on June 4, 2025, opposing the bail application.
He also added that the senator travelled outside the country after the charge against her was filed.
In his argument, he stressed that she posed a flight risk and told the court that the prosecution faced difficulty before they could serve her with the charge.
“We are opposing because of the availability of the defendant to appear for her trial. We urge your lordship to discountenance the bail application of the defendant on all the reasons,” he said.
Otaru, however, said his client travelled May 19 and was back in the country before June 3, the day she was initially scheduled to be arraigned, which was stalled due to the JUSUN strike.
After listening to the argument of both parties, Justice Orji granted the senator bail.
“The defendant is standing trial for defamation. Under defamation as stated in the ACJA, the defendant is entitled to bail, which is at the discretion of the court,” Justice Orji said.
She added that with the defendant’s presence in court, she did not consider her a flight risk and proceeded to grant her bail and fixed September 23 for the commencement of trial.
Bail celebration: Prof Mgbe Mocks Natasha’s ‘Gullible’
Duru in her social media page wrote ”To Natasha’s Gullible and Hungry Noisemakers, Calm Down, It’s Just Bail, Not Victory!
”The public celebration over Natasha Akpoti’s bail today is not only embarrassing, but it also exposes the disturbing high level of ignorance plaguing her gullible and hungry noisemakers. You people are dancing over bail like it’s a final acquittal? Chai! May common sense locate you all.
”Let me give you a quick legal education.”
According to her, ”Natasha recklessly made several criminal allegations, from assassination plots to human organ harvesting with zero evidence. These weren’t just rumors; official petitions were filed, investigations were launched, parties (including her) were invited, thoroughly interrogated, and based on findings, the Nigerian government initiated criminal proceedings.
”Today, she was formally arraigned in court. Not even the lies, threats, sponsored tantrums, or Oby Ezekwesili’s embarrassing memos could stop the judicial process.
”Yes, she was granted bail which is her right under the law. But for you to be shouting like she’s been declared innocent is beyond foolish. This is just the beginning.
”Do you even understand how a criminal trial unfolds? From hearing to cross-examination, witness testimony, submission of evidence, forensic analysis, and eventually, a judgment. This is not Nollywood. It’s real-life justice in motion.”
The US-based Lady continued, ”My people, to make it even more interesting, Imo State was well represented in court today. Yes! The very man who linked Maazi Obinna Akuwudike and Francess Ogbonnaya with Emmanuel Uduaghan and Natasha Akpoti, to be paid and positioned to criminally defame me and the Nigerian government, showed his face. It’s all getting crystal clear now. The puzzle pieces are falling into place, and the days ahead will be nothing short of explosive.
”So instead of popping champagne over bail, maybe go study the remaining charges:
- Count 3 still stands strong!
- And yours truly, Dr. Sandra C. Duru, remains Witness No. 4 on the official list.
”Truth doesn’t need noise, it needs time. And guess what? Time is here.
”I’m already working on our weekend gbedu, and trust me, it’s going to be a hit, a truth-infused, justice-powered soundtrack for this generation!
”Sit tight. The movie has only just begun,” she added.
