The Nigerian government has filed criminal charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her public claims of an assassination plot against her on national television, News360 Nigeria reports.
The full details of the charges remain unclear, but one charge relates to statements she made during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
In the interview, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of planning to have her killed.
According to a charge sheet obtained by SaharaReporters, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is listed as the complainant in a case filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant.
The government alleges that the senator committed an offence under Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, for “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.” This offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
During the interview, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said: “I am glad you did admit that I am a lawyer, and even if I am not a lawyer, I am a sane individual, and I do stand by what I said. In respect to the meeting or discussion Akpabio had [with]Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me. Just ask the Senate President why did he withdraw my security if not to make me vulnerable to attacks.”
She added, “Of all the senators, about 109, we all have different stories. I have been a high-profiled, vulnerable individual because of the nature of politics I have had since 2018. Very violent and dangerous. And I always have my security.”
“So stripping me of my security because I am suspended illegally, actually it just positions me before attacks.”
This was not the first time Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan raised concerns about threats to her life from powerful political figures. Weeks before the interview, at a homecoming rally in Kogi State, she alleged that Senate President Akpabio first reached out to Governor Ododo to recall her but, after Ododo declined, Akpabio turned to Yahaya Bello.
She claimed, “Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. Akpabio told him to make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja. It should be done here. So it will seem as if the people killed me here. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”
These accusations come amid ongoing controversies within the Nigerian Senate, including allegations of sexual harassment, security intimidation, and suppression of dissent.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment but was later suspended for six months on grounds of “misconduct” unrelated to her claims.
