A High Court in Lokoja has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, to pay N1 billion in damages to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in a defamation suit. The judgment, delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim, was based on a television interview the senator granted on November 4, 2022.
Court Ruling Details
The Certified True Copy of the judgment, dated April 23, 2026, and released on Friday, stated that the court found in favor of the claimant after evaluating the evidence. Justice Ibrahim ruled that the two issues formulated for determination were resolved in favor of Bello. The judge declared that the interview on Arise TV's 'The Morning Show' was defamatory to Bello's character and reputation.
The court noted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described Bello as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State without justification. Consequently, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the senator, her agents, privies, or associates from further issuing defamatory statements against Bello on any television or radio station.
Legal Arguments
Bello had sued Akpoti-Uduaghan for defamation of character. The defendant's counsel, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, challenged the court's jurisdiction, arguing that the suit constituted an abuse of court process. However, Bello's counsel, Friday Ekpa, countered that no other case before the FCT High Court was against Bello personally.
After the High Court ruled it had jurisdiction, Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed. The Court of Appeal, in appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024, dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and affirmed that the Kogi State High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case. The court awarded N1 billion in damages against the defendant in favor of the claimant.
