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The Federal Capital High Court Sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has guaranteed a suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uuduaghan in the number of N50 million, along with one guarantor who must become a person who has a reasonable integrity, residents in FCT, and have property landing within the Abuja regional council.
Judge Chizoba Orji conveyed the verdict on Thursday after hearing the argument of the prosecution and legal advisor in accusations of defamation of the three counts submitted by the Attorney General Agung Federation.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represented the Kogi Center Senatorial District and is currently in the suspension of six months, was brought to court by the Federal government on charges of making a statement of slandering against the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi Kogi Yahaya Bello.
According to the indictment marked by CR/297/25, the senator was accused of making “fake and harmful imputation” during the direct performance in today’s television politics on April 3, 2025. The statement, the government’s claim, was intended to tarnish the reputation of both Akpabio and Bello.
The accusation accused that he said during the broadcast: “Let’s ask the president of the senate, why in the first example he attracts my security, if it does not make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasized that I must be killed, but I must be killed in Kogi. What is important for me is to stay alive, because the dead do not tell stories. Who will get justice for me?”
Another part of the accusation quoted him saying: “It was part of the meeting, the discussion conducted by Akpabio with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met him, he then emphasized that I had to be killed, but I had to be killed at Kogi. You know or have a reason to believe that such imputations will damage Yaha Yaha’s reputation.
In addition, Akpoti-Uduaghan is alleged to have made a separate slandering comments about Senator Akpabio during a telephone call with one Sandra C. Duru on March 27, 2025. Wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly a wife who is truly deadlocked, who is truly angered, for people who really
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The federal government states that these statements are made with the knowledge that they will endanger the reputation of the people involved.
Among witnesses registered to testify in this case were the President of the Akpabio Senate, former Governor of Bello, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Sandra Duru, and two Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba-Police officers who investigated the problem.
The Thursday process also witnessed the official indictment of the Akpoti-Uuduaghan senator, with accusations of being read loudly in an open court. He claimed to be innocent for the three.
Representing his legal team, Nigerian Senior Advocate (SAN) Professor Roland Otaru told the court about the guarantee application submitted on May 27, urged the court to carry out his policy to support it.
As an opposition, the legal counsel David Kaswe requested that the senator be returned to the Correctional Facility, on the grounds that he raised flight risks. “Considering the accusation, we will ask for detention in correctional facilities,” he gave.
But Otaru pushed back strongly, saying: “We have submitted a request for guarantees. We are in a legal court for justice. You represent the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Law.
He reminded the court that under the administration of criminal justice laws, people accused of being considered innocent to proven guilty. “When he stood there, he was innocent until it was proven otherwise,” Otaru added.
Judge Orji, after listening to both parties, decided to support the defense and provide guarantees in strict conditions. This case is now determined to be continued as part of what is expected to be a high -profile legal battle watched by political observers.
Keep in mind that a similar case involving senator was before the Muhammated Umar judge from the Federal High Court, where the process had been jammed due to new service and strike problems by the Nigerian Justice Staff (Jusun).
The legal issue of the Akpoti-Oduaghan senator began after a hot exchange with the Akpabio senate president on the senate floor in February, after that he was referred to the Senate Committee on ethics and then suspended for six months.
