Court strikes out FG’s charges against Natasha after AGF discontinuance
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Abuja High Court has struck out criminal charges filed by the federal government against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, paving the way for her legal vindication amid high-stakes political tensions.
The court’s decision came swiftly after the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed a Notice of Discontinuance, effectively halting the prosecution.
The Justice presiding over the matter dismissed the case during Thursday’s proceedings, citing the AGF’s authority under Section 174(1) of the 1999 Constitution to discontinue federal prosecutions at its discretion.
The charges stemmed from explosive allegations leveled by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a live appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
The Kogi Central senator accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of orchestrating a plot to eliminate her.
These claims, aired publicly, prompted swift petitions from Akpabio and Bello, leading the AGF to institute criminal proceedings against Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged defamation and related offenses.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a vocal opposition figure known for her outspoken critiques of political establishment figures, had maintained throughout that her statements were protected under free speech provisions and based on credible threats to her safety.
Her legal team hailed the discontinuance as a triumph of justice, arguing it exposed the politically motivated nature of the case.
