By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The Federal Government has again arraigned Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The suspended female lawmaker was arraigned this morning , June 30, before Justice Mohammed Umar on six counts bordering on alleged defamation of the Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello.
But the embattled Senator pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to her, and was subsequently granted bail on self-recognition.
The judge adjourned the case to September 22, 2025 for commencement of trial.
The Daily Crucible reports that Senator Natasha was accompanied to court by her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan; activist Aisha Yesufu; and a number of her supporters.
Today makes it the second time the lawmaker was arraigned on alleged defamation of Akpabio and Bello.
Last week. She was arraigned earlier on a similar charge on June 19, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
In applying for bail today, June 30, Natasha’s counsel, Roland Otaru (SAN), had asked that she be granted bail on self-recognition as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and a senior member of the bar.
He posited that there was no counter affidavit from the prosecution challenging the bail application.
At the last hearing, the judge refused the request by the Federal Government to have Senator Natasha arrested for failing to appear for the trial.
The judge gave the ruling after the government’s counsel, David Kaswe, admitted that he served the charge on her lawyer that same morning in the courtroom.
The judge said as the Kogi Central Senator had not previously been served the charge or hearing notice, it was therefore inconceivable that she would be present in the courtroom. He, on that premise, refused the prosecution’s application for a bench warrant.
According to the charge sheet, Senator Natasha had alleged on a live television programme that Akpabio and Bello were plotting her elimination and that they wanted it to look as if it was carried out by her own people.
The Nigerian Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, had instituted the lawsuit bordering on defamation, against the Senator.
She was put on trial by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) on charges of making harmful imputations in her public comments and television interview.
The Senate President had in a petition to the Inspector General of Police claimed that damages were done to his reputation by Natasha on the accusation that the Senate President planned to eliminate her in Kogi state.
After investigation by police, Senator Natasha was docked for Cybercrime crime against Akpabio and Yahaya Bello.
The Federal Government through the AGF office preferred the six-count criminal charge against her before the Federal High Court, Abuja. 
•Natasha in the dock on Monday.
The allegations in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025 were hinged on cybercrime provisions and bordered on her alleged transmission of false and injurious information via electronic means allegedly designed to malign, incite, and endanger lives and breach public order.
Some of the particulars of the charge are claims that Natasha while addressing a gathering on April 4th 2025 in Ihima, alleged that Senator Akpabio instructed Bello to have her kílled in Kogi State.
She allegedly repeated this same narrative during a television interview, insinuating a múrderous conspiracy against her life by Akpabio and Yahaya Bello.
Part of the charges are “That on or about the 1st day of April 2025 while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, You – SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTIUDUAGHAN intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit: “…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, Iam 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 here…” 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.
Count Two “That on or about the 1st day of April 2025 while addressing a crowd
of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, You – SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTIUDUAGHAN intentionally caused the following communication to be tranamitted via a computer system and network, to wit:
“,…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have satd. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, tt should be done here, so tt will seem as (f it ts the people that killed me here…” And You, SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN, knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, a former Governor of Kogi State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under same section of the Act.
