Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja for the commencement of her trial on alleged defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, is being prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024. The charges stem from remarks allegedly made by the senator during a public gathering in Ihima on April 4, 2025, and repeated in a subsequent television interview.
In the statements, she was said to have accused Akpabio of instructing Bello to orchestrate her killing in Kogi State. 
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has unsealed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office.
The unsealing was carried out by the Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji. Recall that the office had remained locked since March 6, 2025, when the Senate placed her on a six-month suspension.
The senator had written to the leadership of the upper chamber last week, notifying them of her intention to resume legislative duties at the expiration of the suspension.
