The Federal Government has instituted a new set of legal charges against the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The fresh charge, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/195/25, was filed on May 22, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. This development comes only weeks after an earlier charge—CR/297/25—was filed against her at the FCT High Court.
Both legal actions stem from statements allegedly made by the senator, which the government claims were defamatory and damaging to the public reputations of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
The case at the FCT High Court is anchored on Section 392 of the Penal Code, which addresses criminal defamation. Meanwhile, the new charge at the Federal High Court is based on Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act, 2024 (as amended). According to the government, the senator allegedly made certain online publications that could harm the public image of the two prominent political figures.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has strongly denied all the allegations, labeling them as politically motivated attacks aimed at silencing dissent and opposition voices. She insists the charges are a deliberate attempt to intimidate her and suppress her growing political influence.
The decision to file parallel cases in two separate courts has sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about the government’s legal strategy.
Observers and legal analysts have accused the government of forum shopping—a controversial practice in which litigants initiate similar or identical cases in multiple jurisdictions in a bid to secure a more favourable outcome.
Despite the mounting legal pressure, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was granted bail by the FCT High Court on June 19, 2025. She is now scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court for arraignment on June 30, 2025, to answer to the new cybercrime-related charges.
The unfolding legal drama continues to generate national attention, with many interpreting it as a test case for freedom of expression and political tolerance in Nigeria’s democratic space.