The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, has granted ₦50 million bail to the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her arraignment on a three-count charge filed by the Federal Government.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, the court rejected the Federal Government’s application to remand the senator in prison custody, stating there was no justification to deny her bail.
Justice Orji held that the defendant had shown willingness to stand trial, citing sufficient evidence to support her release.
In addition to the ₦50 million bail, the court directed her to produce one surety— a reputable individual with landed property in Abuja.
The judge referenced Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, in reaching the decision.
Trial was adjourned till September 23.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing charges for allegedly making false and defamatory claims that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were behind a plot to assassinate her.
According to the charge marked CR/297/25, the alleged offence occurred during a live appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on April 3.
The Federal Government accused her of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
The charge states that her statements violated Section 391 of the Penal Code and are punishable under Section 392.
Among witnesses listed in the case are Senate President Akpabio and ex-Governor Bello, both cited as nominal complainants. Others include police investigators Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Sandra Duru.
The charge followed a letter the senator wrote to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, accusing the police of bias in investigating her petitions against the Senate President.
Meanwhile, a separate case is ongoing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is challenging her six-month suspension by the Senate.
Her suspension comes from a heated confrontation with the Senate President during plenary on February 20, when she protested the sudden change of her seating arrangement.
After repeated points of order were overruled, her conduct was referred to the Senate’s Ethics Committee.
In a February 28 interview, she claimed her ordeal in the Senate began after rejecting unwanted advances from Akpabio.
She has since filed an ex-parte motion urging the court to declare her suspension and any related disciplinary actions “null, void, and of no effect.”
