By David Lawani
Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has struck out the defamation suit instituted by the Federal Government against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Udughan.
The trial judge struck out the matter after the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, applied to discontinue the case.
Following the prosecution’s application, defence counsel, West Idahosa, urged the court to formally strike out the suit and order the release of all documents belonging to the defendant and her sureties.
The prosecution did not oppose the defence application. In a brief ruling, Justice Orji struck out the suit, discharged the sureties, and directed the return of all seized documents.
The Federal Government had, in May 2025, filed the charge against Akpoti-Udughan, accusing her of making defamatory statements during a live television interview.
The charge, brought under Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code, alleged that the Senator made imputations she knew, or had reason to believe, would harm the reputation of others.
One of the counts stemmed from claims attributed to Akpoti-Udughan, in which she alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello discussed plans to eliminate her, including the withdrawal of her security to make her vulnerable.
The Federal Government contended that the statements, aired on television, amounted to defamatory imputations capable of damaging reputations.
With the prosecution’s withdrawal, however, the court brought the case to an end.
