, calling for the arrest and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged defamatory statements made against him.){kind=link}
Former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has submitted a formal petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), calling for the arrest and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged defamatory statements made against him.
The petition, signed by his lawyer, Mr. N.A. Abubakar, urged the Nigeria Police Force to invite the senator to provide evidence for her claims or face legal action for defamation, incitement, and spreading false information.
Bello’s legal team accused Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central and is currently under suspension, of making serious and baseless allegations during a political event held on April 1, 2025, in Okehi LGA. At the event, she allegedly claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio instructed Yahaya Bello to fund a recall process against her and allegedly suggested he should plan her assassination, but not in Abuja — so it would appear as a local attack.
Bello’s lawyers said the statements were false, inciting, and damaging to the former governor’s reputation, characterizing them as criminal defamation under Nigerian law.
They added that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan not only made the accusations publicly but also caused video clips of the speech to go viral online, intensifying the impact of the alleged defamation.
The petition cited various laws, including Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act and Sections 114 and 140 of the Penal Code, which prohibit the spread of false information and incitement capable of disturbing public peace.
The petition also warned that leaving such allegations unchallenged could set a dangerous precedent where politicians use falsehoods as weapons against opponents.
In a separate letter from Chief R.O. Balogun (SAN) & Co., Bello’s legal team also demanded a public apology and retraction from the senator, to be published in two national newspapers.
They gave her a 14-day deadline to comply or face both civil and criminal legal actions.
The letter stated, “Our client is no longer Governor and no longer feels bound by the restraint he exercised while in office, despite previous provocations. He now seeks full legal redress for these recent accusations, which he considers completely false and harmful.”
Bello’s lawyers emphasized that allowing such serious allegations to go unchecked could erode public trust and encourage dangerous political tactics, calling on the IGP to act swiftly in the interest of justice, peace, and democratic stability.