HomeNews‎Defamation: Judiciary Workers’ Strike Stalls Natasha’s Arraignment

‎Defamation: Judiciary Workers’ Strike Stalls Natasha’s Arraignment

‎The strike embarked by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment of the suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday.

‎The strike which commenced on Monday, led to the closure of most of the courts, including all the Federal Capital Territory high courts.

‎Akpoti-Uduaghan was scheduled to be arraigned before the FCT High Court on Tuesday, June 3, over a criminal charge filed by the Federal Government over her defamatory statement against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

‎According to the charge marked CR/297/25, Akpoti-Uduaghan was accused of making criminal imputations during a live broadcast and a private phone conversation, which allegedly defamed Akpabio and Bello.

‎The charge highlighted one of the central allegations as the statements Akpoti-Uduaghan made on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme on April 3, 2025, where she alleged that both Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to assassinate her.

‎“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night—to eliminate me… He then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi,” the charge quoted her as saying.

‎In another instance, dated March 27, 2025, the government claimed the senator told a woman named Dr Sandra Duru during a phone call that Akpabio was linked to the organ harvesting of the late Iniubong Umoren for his ailing wife.

‎The Federal Government charged the suspended senator under sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code, which deal with defamation and criminal harm to reputation.

‎Her lawyer, West Idahosa (SAN), had previously confirmed to DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS that his client was prepared to appear in court to answer the summons served on her.

‎He said, “Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken. Only disrespectful institutions that disregard court orders would fail to appear, and she is not in that category.”

‎Although the strike has now been called off, a new date is awaited for her arraignment.


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