The Federal Government has formally withdrawn criminal defamation and cyberbullying charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
Court documents show that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) submitted a Notice of Discontinuance on December 12, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, effectively ending the prosecution. The charges had been filed in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following petitions by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan faced allegations of criminal defamation and cyberbullying over remarks made during a televised interview on Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, in which she claimed to have received threats to her life.
The Notice of Discontinuance cited Sections 108(1), 108(2)(a), and 108(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, as well as the inherent powers of the court. The document was signed by officials from the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation and certified under Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025.
During the proceedings, notable witnesses listed for the prosecution included Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, Ambassador Reno Omokri, and Sandra Duru.
Separately, Senate President Akpabio reportedly instructed his legal team on January 1, 2026, to withdraw nine defamation suits he had filed against various individuals. Some reports suggest the withdrawals were influenced by reconciliation efforts and religious counsel, though TMN has not independently verified this.
As of this report, the AGF’s office has not publicly provided reasons for discontinuing the prosecution, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has not issued any comment on the matter.