FG Drops Defamation Charges Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

FG has dropped defamation charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, has formally withdrawn the criminal defamation charges filed against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

A notice discontinuing the prosecution of the Kogi Central senator was filed by the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Abuja, effectively bringing the case to an end.

Court documents sighted on Sunday show that the notice was signed by Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), on behalf of the Attorney General.

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The document, titled “Notice of Discontinuance of Proceedings in Charge Number FHC/ABJ/CR.195/2025,” was filed pursuant to Sections 108 (1), (2), and (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

It stated: “Take notice that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation intends to discontinue proceedings in this matter.”

Following the development, Justice Umar Garba of the Federal High Court, before whom Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is standing trial, is expected to formally dismiss the charges on the next adjourned date after the court resumes from its Christmas vacation.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 3, 2025, over alleged defamatory statements said to have implicated Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, in an alleged assassination plot.

The senator, who was under suspension at the time, was accused of violating Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, following comments made during a television interview.

At her arraignment, Akpoti-Uduaghan pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on self-recognition by the court.