NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT FILES CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN
The Nigerian government has filed criminal charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following explosive allegations she made on national television, accusing key political figures of plotting to assassinate her.
Although full details of the charges remain unclear, at least one stems from statements the senator made during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025. In the broadcast, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were involved in a conspiracy to eliminate her.
A charge sheet obtained by SaharaReporters lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant in a case filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is the sole defendant.
The senator is being charged under Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, for “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.” The offence is punishable under Section 392.
During the televised interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood by her claims:
“I do stand by what I said… [about] the meeting or discussion Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me,” she stated. “Just ask the Senate President—why did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks?”
She further expressed concerns about her safety, noting that she had long been targeted due to her political trajectory since 2018.
“Very violent and dangerous… stripping me of my security just positions me for attacks,” she said.
This is not the first time the senator has voiced fears over threats to her life. Speaking at a homecoming rally in Kogi State weeks prior, she accused Senate President Akpabio of orchestrating a covert plan involving former Governor Yahaya Bello.
“Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me… but not in Abuja. He said it should be done in Kogi so it would seem like the people killed me,” she claimed. According to her, the police were notified of the plot.
She also alleged that money exchanged hands during the meeting, and that the plan involved both a recall process and a targeted elimination.
The criminal charge comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions in the Nigerian Senate, where Akpoti-Uduaghan has been a vocal critic of the leadership. She previously accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment—a claim followed by her controversial six-month suspension, which the Senate claimed was due to “misconduct.”
Observers say the legal action against the senator may further fuel concerns over the shrinking space for dissent and the use of state apparatus to silence opposition within Nigeria’s political landscape.
