Akpabio, Yahaya Bello to testify as Nigerian Govt files Criminal Charges Against Natasha

The Federal government has filed criminal charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over statements she made on national television alleging a plot to assassinate her.

The suit marked CR/297/25 and filed before a federal capital territory high court on May 16, 2025, has Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant.

The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

The offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.

According to TheCable, the list of witnesses that Godswill Akpabio, senate president; and Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, will testify during the trial.

Recall that the Senator who is on 6 months suspension has been at loggerhead with Akpabio. She accused the Senate President of sexually harassing her .

Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stated: “I am glad you did admit that I am a lawyer, and even if I am not a lawyer, I am a sane individual, and I do stand by what I said.

“In respect to the meeting or discussion Akpabio had [with] Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me.

“Just ask the Senate President why did he withdraw my security if not to make me vulnerable to attacks. Mind you, of all the senators, about 109, we all have different stories.

This is not the first time the senator has spoken publicly about threats to her life allegedly orchestrated by high-ranking political figures.

At a homecoming rally in Kogi State weeks before the interview, she claimed: “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.

“But Akpabio was not satisfied; he then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuquo who drove Yahaya Bello to the Hiltons. 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.”

She further alleged: “Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. Akpabio told him to make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja. It should be done here.

“So it will seem as if the people killed me here. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”