ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over alleged defamatory remarks made against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In a petition submitted on Wednesday and signed by his counsel, N.A. Abubakar, Bello requested that the police invite Akpoti-Uduaghan to present credible evidence supporting her accusations.
Should she fail to do so, Bello urged the police to arrest and prosecute her for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance, and spreading false information injurious to public peace.
“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 stated.
In a separate letter sent directly to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through another legal representative, R.O. Balogun, the former governor demanded a public retraction and apology for the allegedly defamatory comments or risk facing legal action.
Bello alleged that the senator made the offensive remarks during a homecoming event held on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
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According to him, she “maliciously” accused him of being involved in a plot to assassinate someone, a claim he considers gravely damaging and false.
The former governor also argued that her comments violated Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015
“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), Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has: Gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor; 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 letter read.
Bello’s legal team is now pressing for immediate redress through both police investigation and legal recourse, signaling the possibility of a defamation suit should the senator fail to comply.