Defamation: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Drags Gov Yahaya Bello, Others To Court, Seeks N10 Billion As Damages

The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State Central Senatorial district for the 2023 elections, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has dragged the state governor, Yahaya Bello, to court over alleged defamation.

Naija News reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the suit numbered FCT/HC/CV/6529/2023, charged the governor along with the Kogi State Government, the state information and communications commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, and Vanguard Media Limited.

This platform understands that the politician dragged the above-mentioned to court for allegedly associating her with terrorism activities in the state.

The state government had called on heads of security agencies in Nigeria to invite Akpoti-Uduaghan for questioning over alleged terrorism capable of dragging the state back to “the dark era.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan is demanding the sum of N10 billion in damages and an order restraining Bello from using defamatory words against her.

Among other prayers before the court are “A declaration that the publication by the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants through the Vanguard newspaper online media at https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/terrorism-kogi-govt-asks-security-agencies-to-invite-uduaghan-for-questioning/amp/ on October 31, 2022, titled “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” is libellous and defamatory against the Claimant.

“An order of this Honourable Court against the Defendants jointly and severally to pay the sum of N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) as damages for the libellous publication by the Defendants against the Claimant in the Vanguard newspaper online publication at https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/terrorism-kogi-govt-asks-security-agencies-to-invite-uduaghan-for-questioning/amp/ on October 31, 2022, titled “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” as same is libellous and defamatory against the Claimant.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendants jointly and severally retract, remove from the internet and publish a public apology to the Claimant in the Vanguard newspaper both in print and online retracting the libellous publication published in the vanguard newspaper online at https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/terrorism-kogi-govt-asks-security-agencies-to-invite-uduaghan-for-questioning/amp/ on October 31, 2022, titled, “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” as same is libellous and defamatory against the Claimant.

“An injunction restraining the Defendants jointly and severally by themselves, agents or servants or otherwise from publishing or causing to be published the said similar words defamatory against the Claimant.”

Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan, in November 2022, in a similar circumstance, dragged Bello and the state commissioner before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyanya Judicial Division, over charges of terrorism allegation.

The case was, however, dismissed in a ruling delivered on Friday, June 16, 2023, by Justice Idris Mua’wiya, for being incompetent.