The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following explosive allegations she made on live television, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to assassinate her.
The charges, shrouded in secrecy until now, stem from a fiery interview aired on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025. During the broadcast, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan boldly declared that top political figures orchestrated a plot to eliminate her, setting off a chain of legal and political backlash.
Documents obtained reveal that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant in a criminal case filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan listed as the sole defendant. The government is accusing her of making injurious imputations likely to damage the reputation of others, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code and threatening imprisonment under Section 392.
In her televised remarks, the senator did not mince words. “I stand by what I said,” she declared, alleging that a late-night meeting between Akpabio and Yahaya Bello included discussions about her assassination. She went on to accuse Akpabio of stripping her of official security protection, making her a vulnerable target. “Of all 109 senators, I’ve faced the most violent and dangerous political experience since 2018. Removing my security detail while I’m under suspension places me directly in harm’s way,” she said.
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But her accusations did not stop there. In a previous speech during a homecoming rally in Kogi State, she claimed Akpabio had approached Governor Usman Ododo to begin a recall process, which the governor allegedly declined. According to her, Akpabio then turned to Yahaya Bello, offering financial backing to eliminate her. “He told Yahaya Bello to kill me, but not in Abuja, it should happen in Kogi so it looks like the people did it,” she alleged.
The senator’s claims ignited concerns over political intimidation, suppression of dissent, and a dangerous culture of silence within Nigeria’s legislative body. This is not the first time Akpoti-Uduaghan has sounded the alarm on threats to her life. She has also previously accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment a claim that she is yet to prove and coupled with act described by the Senates as “misconduct” which swiftly landed her six-month suspension.
