FCT high court strikes out defamation suit against senator Natasha Akpoti-Udughan
Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has struck out the defamation suit filed by the Federal Government against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Udughan.
The case was struck out after the prosecution, through its counsel Aderonke Imana, applied to discontinue the matter. Following the application, counsel to the senator, West Idahosa, asked the court to formally strike out the suit and order the release of all documents belonging to the defendant and her sureties.
The prosecution did not oppose the defence application. In a brief ruling, Justice Orji struck out the suit, discharged the sureties, and ordered that all documents submitted by them be returned.
The Federal Government had instituted the case in May 2025, accusing Akpoti-Udughan of making defamatory statements during a live television interview. The suit, filed on May 16, 2025, named the senator as the sole defendant.
According to the charge, the senator was alleged to have made imputations “knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, an offence punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
One of the charges stemmed from allegations by Akpoti-Udughan that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello plotted to assassinate her. The Federal Government said the senator, during the television interview, claimed that discussions between Akpabio and Bello included plans to eliminate her.
The prosecution further alleged that Akpoti-Udughan questioned the withdrawal of her security detail, suggesting it was intended to make her vulnerable to attack, and stated that she was to be killed in Kogi State. The government maintained that the senator knew, or had reason to believe, that such statements would harm the reputation of the Senate President.
With the withdrawal of the charges and the court’s ruling, the case has now been formally terminated.