By Kayode Sanni-Arewa and Prosper Olayiwola
The cybercrime case filed against Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, suffered a setback on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Proceedings suffered a setback after her defence team challenged the court’s jurisdiction and accused the Attorney-General of the Federation of abusing prosecutorial powers. 
Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing a six-count charge under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025. She was arraigned on June 30 and granted bail on self-recognition.
According to the charges filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, the Senator allegedly transmitted false and injurious information via electronic means with the intent to malign, incite, endanger lives, and disturb public order.
The prosecution further alleged that while addressing a gathering on April 4, 2025, in Ihima, Kogi State, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, directed former Governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed in the state.
One of the counts read: “That on or about April 1, 2025, while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, you — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan — intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit: ‘…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have said. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here, so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me her And you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and punishable under the same Act.”
Another charge accused her of making similar statements capable of harming the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.
At the resumed hearing, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe announced readiness to proceed with trial, noting that his witness was present and that a television screen had been mounted for the day’s proceedings.
However, defence counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN), objected, arguing that the case could not begin because his client had challenged both the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain it.
West-Idahosa clarified that his objection was not directed at the content of the charges but at what he described as “an alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation.”
He also complained that the defence had not been served with the prosecution’s witness statements, insisting that proceeding under such conditions would breach his client’s right to a fair trial.
While Kaswe urged the court to dismiss the objection and proceed, Justice Mohammed Umar held that the preliminary objection must first be resolved before evidence could be taken.
The judge adjourned the matter to October 20 for the hearing of the objection and possible commencement of the trial.
In May, Naija News House reported that the Federal Government planned to call Senate President Akpabio, former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and four others as witnesses in the high-profile case against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The charges stem from her televised allegation that Akpabio instructed Bello to have her assassinated in Kogi State.
