Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has formally approached the Inspector General of Police (IGP), requesting legal steps be taken against the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over what he claims are defamatory and inciting remarks directed at him.
In a petition submitted through his legal representative, N.A. Abubakar, on Wednesday, Bello urged the Nigeria Police Force to summon the suspended Kogi Central senator to provide verifiable proof backing her claims.
“Where she fails to do so, cause her to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance and spreading false information injurious to public peace,” the petition reads.
The letter described the senator’s comments as false, provocative, and damaging—adding that her statements amount to criminal defamation, incitement, and a deliberate attempt to stir unrest, which are punishable under Nigerian law.
In addition to the police petition, Bello’s legal team—led by Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN & Co.—has issued a separate letter to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan demanding a retraction and public apology regarding alleged defamatory comments published in two national newspapers.
The letter highlighted a particular speech made by the senator during a political event labelled the ‘Homecoming Rally’ held on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area, where she was quoted saying: “(Senate President Godswill) Akpabio sent for Yahaya Bello. And it was actually Senator Asuquo from Cross River that drove Yahaya Bello from Hilton Hotel.
“I was informed of everything and what I got to know of the meeting was in two folds. He told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it – of course, monies changed hands that night.
“The second thing he told him was that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the IG of Police. Akpabio told Yahaya Bello. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, that it should be done here, so it would seem as if it’s the people that killed me here …”
Bello’s legal team stated these comments were made with malicious intent and designed to discredit their client in the public eye, portraying him falsely as a violent political actor. They also accused the senator of inciting ethnic and political tensions within Kogi Central, especially among different Ebira clans.
Citing Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, Bello’s lawyer said the senator’s actions—especially the online circulation of video footage from the rally—violated federal laws prohibiting the dissemination of false information intended to damage reputations or incite unrest.
“By accusing our client of plotting an assassination and naming him as a co-conspirator in a purported murder plot (with an attempt to disguise the killing as mob or ethnic violence), Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan has: Gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor and misled the public and tried to incite ethnic and political distrust, especially among clans of Ebiraland in particular and the people of Kogi Central in general.
“Brought his name into disrepute on the basis of an allegation so weighty that, if left unchallenged, could harm his political career and personal safety; and abused her parliamentary status and platform by propagating such falsehoods without evidence, in a very public and politically charged setting,” the lawyer stated.
The former governor’s legal team further alleged that Bello had, in the past, chosen to ignore Akpoti-Uduaghan’s outbursts due to what they described as her erratic behaviour.
“Our client states that he has long considered Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as unhinged and apparently possessed of a schizophrenic disorder, characterized by manic narcissism, wild hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking and an incurable incontinence with emotions and social interactions – hence his patient indulgence of her in the past while he was Governor in Kogi State when he restrained himself many times from seeking legal redress even though she frequently harassed him in the media with all sorts of horrible and damaging lies.”
They added that now, having completed his tenure, Bello no longer feels compelled to extend the same tolerance and is determined to seek full legal redress for the allegations made.
He is urging the IGP to respond swiftly to the matter to prevent a dangerous precedent of politically motivated falsehoods from taking root in the nation’s democratic space.
“Failure to act in the circumstances of these egregious offences by Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan will embolden others to also weaponise political platforms for dangerous falsehoods and criminal misrepresentation, especially with an eye to gaining dishonest advantage over opponents, thus endangering our democracy,” the petition stressed.
The legal team concluded their letter with a firm demand: “We hereby demand, on behalf of our client, the following: That you issue a formal retraction of the said defamatory statements, to be published in two national dailies.
“That you cease and desist from making any further defamatory statements concerning him, whether directly or by innuendo, and whether published in print, electronic or social media platforms. That you comply in terms of the foregoing within Fourteen days of the service of this letter on you.
“TAKE NOTICE that failure, refusal or neglect to comply with the above demands within the period of FOURTEEN DAYS (14) from the date this Letter is served on you, our client will set the necessary machinery in motion to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against you without further notice.”
