By Ayomide Otitoju
Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Thursday struck out the defamation suit filed by the Federal Government against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Udughan.
The case was discontinued following an application by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, seeking to withdraw the charges. Counsel to the senator, West Idahosa, subsequently urged the court to strike out the suit, a request that was not opposed by the prosecution.
In granting the application, Justice Orji formally struck out the matter.
The Federal Government had instituted the suit in May 2025 over alleged defamatory remarks made by Akpoti-Udughan during a live television interview. The charge, filed on May 16, 2025, named the senator as the sole defendant.
The government accused her of making imputations “knowing or having reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of a person,” contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
One of the charges stemmed from allegations by the senator in which she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to assassinate her.
According to the charge, Akpoti-Udughan had alleged during the interview that discussions were held between Akpabio and Bello to eliminate her, questioned the withdrawal of her security detail, and suggested it was intended to make her vulnerable to attack.
The Federal Government argued that the senator knew or ought to have known that such statements would harm the reputation of the Senate President.
