Tension in Abuja as Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Faces Fresh Arraignment Over Akpabio, Yahaya Bello Defamation Claims

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan returned to the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, June 30, 2025, to face a second arraignment over alleged defamation involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello. Her court appearance comes amid growing controversy over her vocal criticism of political elites and her role in ongoing anti-corruption campaigns.

The lawmaker representing Kogi Central arrived the courthouse with a wave of solidarity as her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, and prominent activist Aisha Yesufu joined dozens of supporters who chanted slogans of resilience outside the court premises. Tensions were visible, with security tightened around the court entrance to manage the crowd.

Presiding over the case is Justice Mohammed Umar, who is expected to rule on preliminary applications before the substantive trial begins. The case stems from accusations that Akpoti-Uduaghan defamed Akpabio and Yahaya Bello in statements she made earlier this year, a claim she and her legal team have repeatedly dismissed as “politically motivated.”

This is not the first time Senator Natasha is facing the courtroom over the issue. On June 19, 2025, she was arraigned at the FCT High Court on similar charges. At that hearing, the judge rejected a motion by federal prosecutors seeking her arrest over a previous absence, ruling that her absence was adequately justified by her legal representatives.

Sources close to the senator say she remains defiant and sees the legal battle as an extension of the political intimidation she has endured since challenging entrenched power structures in both Kogi and national politics. “We will not be silenced,” Aisha Yesufu told reporters at the court premises, accusing the government of witch-hunting outspoken female politicians.

Observers say the unfolding legal saga has wider implications for freedom of expression and political accountability in Nigeria. Rights groups have called on the judiciary to ensure that the trial is fair, transparent, and free from external influence.

While the court proceedings have been adjourned to a yet-to-be-confirmed date for further hearing, the senator’s supporters insist the case is a test of Nigeria’s democratic resilience under increasing political pressure.