A High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan 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 and dated April 23, 2026, found that Akpoti-Uduaghan made defamatory statements against Bello during a television interview aired on November 4, 2022.
The court held that the remarks, in which the senator allegedly described Bello as a “murderer,” “killer,” and “a terror to the people of Kogi State,” were not justified and damaged the former governor’s reputation.
Justice Ibrahim ruled that Bello successfully proved his case on the balance of probabilities, resolving all issues in his favour. Consequently, the court awarded N1 billion in damages against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In addition to the monetary award, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the senator, her agents, and associates from making or publishing further defamatory statements against Bello on any media platform.
The case stemmed from comments made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during her appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television in 2022, which Bello argued had tarnished his image.
During earlier proceedings, the defendant challenged the jurisdiction of the Kogi State High Court, describing the suit as an abuse of court process. However, the court dismissed the objection and affirmed its authority to hear the case.
An appeal filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal for lacking merit, thereby allowing the High Court to proceed with the substantive matter and deliver its final judgment.
