FG Lines Up Akpabio, Yahaya Bello, Others as Witnesses in Defamation Case Against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Nigerian government is set to call Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and four others as witnesses in a high-profile criminal case against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

This development follows the federal government’s decision to file criminal charges against the Kogi-born senator over her televised allegations that Akpabio and Bello plotted to assassinate her.

According to court documents, the case was filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed as the complainant and Senator Natasha as the sole defendant.

The government is accusing the senator of criminal defamation under Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, an offence punishable under Section 392.

The charges stem from an interview granted on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” programme on April 3, 2025, in which the senator alleged that Senate President Akpabio and Yahaya Bello conspired to eliminate her. She also claimed that the Senate President ordered the withdrawal of her security detail to make her vulnerable.

“I do stand by what I said. In respect to the meeting or discussion Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me,” she said during the live interview.

The court documents list six individuals the prosecution intends to call as witnesses.

Senator Godswill Akpabio is named as a nominal complainant and is expected to testify on his knowledge of the matter. His address is listed as No. 13 TY Danjuma Street, Asokoro.

Yahaya Adoza Bello is also listed as a nominal complainant and witness, with his address provided as No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4.

Another key witness is Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, whom Natasha alleged drove Bello to the Hilton Hotel where the plot was discussed. His address is stated as the Senate Building, National Assembly Complex.

Also listed is Dr. Sandra C. Duru, a U.S.-based individual expected to testify on her knowledge of the events. Her address is 1 Chrisholm Trail Road, Suite 450, Round Rock, Texas, 78681.

Two police officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit—ACP Maya Iliya and SP Abdulhafiz Garba, are also expected to testify on their investigative findings.

Before the interview that triggered the charges, Senator Natasha had made similar claims at a political rally in Kogi State, alleging that powerful figures in Abuja were plotting to assassinate her using local agents.

“The Senate President first reached out to Governor Ododo to recall me. But Ododo declined, saying the people love me too much. So he turned to Yahaya Bello,” she said during the rally.

“Akpabio was not satisfied. He then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuquo who drove Yahaya Bello to the Hilton. I was informed. The meeting was in two folds. He told him to commence my recall. He was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that day. The second thing was that he should kill me.”

According to her, the Senate President was very specific in his instructions.

“Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. He told him not to do it in Abuja. It should be done here [in Kogi], so it would seem like the people killed me. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”

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