Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was on Monday granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading not guilty to a six-count charge of alleged cybercrime.
The court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, fixed September 22, 2025, for the commencement of her trial.
The charges, brought by the Federal Government through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, accuse Akpoti-Uduaghan of disseminating false information via electronic means, with the intent to malign, incite unrest, and endanger public safety.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, the senator was alleged to have made injurious statements against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
Among the claims attributed to her was an allegation that Akpabio told Bello to ensure her assassination happened in Kogi rather than Abuja, so it would appear as though it was carried out by her constituents.
The prosecution also referenced her appearance on a national television programme, Politics Today on Channels TV, where she reportedly reiterated the same allegations, claiming they were part of a planned meeting to eliminate her.
The Federal Government contends that her statements were knowingly false and in violation of Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises the intentional spread of false information to damage reputations or provoke public disorder.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned in court on Monday after missing a previous date, June 16, when the matter first came up. At the time, the prosecution sought a bench warrant for her arrest, which was denied by the court on the basis that she had not been served with the charge or a hearing notice.
During Monday’s proceedings, the senator appeared in court and took her plea. Her counsel, Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), urged the court to grant bail on self-recognition, citing her status as a serving senator, a senior member of the bar, and someone with deep community ties who posed no flight risk.
Otaru also noted that the senator had been granted bail in a similar case pending before the FCT High Court, Maitama, where she is facing three counts of alleged defamation brought by the Attorney General of the Federation.
He stressed that the prosecution had not filed any counter-affidavit opposing the bail request, a point acknowledged by the Federal Government's legal team, which nevertheless asked the court to impose conditions that would ensure the senator’s presence throughout the trial.
Justice Umar, in his ruling, affirmed that the offences were bailable and acknowledged the defendant’s public standing. He subsequently granted her bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to 22 September 2025 for trial.
The charges before Justice Umar are the latest in a series of legal battles Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing, all of which stem from her public accusations against prominent political figures. In the earlier defamation case before Justice Chizoba Orji, she was also accused of making damaging remarks about Akpabio and Bello, to which she also pleaded not guilty.
The court in that instance granted her bail in the sum of ₦50 million, with one surety who must be resident in the Federal Capital Territory and own property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
With two high-profile cases now pending in separate courts, all eyes are on how the suspended senator will defend herself against the charges as trial proceedings begin in the coming months.
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