A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, June 16, 2025, declined a request by the Federal Government to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a case bordering on alleged defamation of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
At Monday’s court session, the prosecution told the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment, adding that the Defendant, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent.
The prosecution claimed that the charges were served on her legal representative, adding that said since Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent, the Court should issue a bench warrant for her arrest.
But, the defence counsel stoutly opposed the request by the defence counsel, saying that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had not been properly notified.
The defence counsel told the court that the charge sheet was only received that same morning in court, and that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had neither seen the document nor informed that she was expected in court for arraignment.
At that point, the trial judge, Justice Musa Umar, asked the prosecution counsel if the charges had been personally served on the defendant and he answered in the negative. Accordingly, Justice Umar ruled that it would be inappropriate to grant the arrest request, stressing that proper service of court documents is a prerequisite for issuing a bench warrant.
Justice Umar therefore directed that the charges be officially served through the senator’s lawyer and fixed June 30 for her formal arraignment.
The case followed alleged comments made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a live television broadcast on April 3, 2025, during which she reportedly accused Akpabio and Yahaya Bello of being involved in an alleged plot to assassinate her.
The claim thereafter triggered the defamation charges now being pursued by the Federal Government while Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that several petitions she wrote against Akpabio and Yahaya Bello were not considered by the Nigeria police and other security agencies.
