FG Drops Defamation Charges Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama has struck out the criminal defamation charges instituted by the Federal Government against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the presiding judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, struck out the suit following a formal notice of discontinuance filed by the prosecution.
During the court session, the prosecution informed the court of its decision to withdraw the charges.
Seizing on the application, counsel to the senator, West Idahosa (SAN), moved a motion for the matter to be struck out.
Idahosa also prayed the court to discharge the defendant and release all documents belonging to her and her sureties. The prosecution counsel did not oppose this request.
Consequently, Justice Orji ruled in favor of the application, discharging the sureties and ordering the immediate return of their documents.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned in June 2025 on a three-count charge bordering on criminal defamation. The charges, filed on May 16, 2025, in suit number CR/297/25, listed the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as the nominal complainants.
The Federal Government had accused the lawmaker of making “imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” an alleged offense punishable under Section 391 of the Penal Code.
Reacting to the judgment, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the withdrawal of the charges and the subsequent court ruling as a vindication of her innocence.
“Today’s outcome affirms my belief in the rule of law. I remain committed to serving my constituents and defending the democratic rights of all Nigerians,” she stated.
This development brings to an end the legal battle which had attracted significant political attention given the high profile of the nominal complainants involved.
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