The Kogi State High Court has awarded N1billion damages against the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a defamation suit filed by the immediate past governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
Delivering judgement in the suit marked, “HCL/16/2023”, the court held that upon the conclusion of the suit, the two issues formulated for determination were resolved in favour of the claimant, reports Daily Independent.
In the Certified True Copy of the judgment, made available yesterday, the court held that on preponderance of evidence or balance of probabilities, judgment was entered in favour of the claimant.
In an Enrolment Order, dated April 22, 2026, the court ordered that:
“The interview granted by the defendant on 4/11/2022 on Arise TV programme of ‘The Morning Show’ is defamatory of the claimant’s character and reputation.
“The said interview of 4/11/2022 in which the Defendant described the Claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts and a terror to the people of Kogi State was without justification.”
The court also gave “an order of perpetual injunction against the Defendant, [his] agents, privies or associates”, restraining them from further issuance of the defamatory statements or words against the claimant on TV or radio stations.
“The sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) only (is) awarded as damages against the Defendant and in favour of the Claimant,” the court said.
Former Governor Yahaya Bello had sued Senator Natasha Akpoti for defamation of character before the Kogi State High Court in 2023.
The Defendant’s Counsel, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, had, at the time, challenged the jurisdiction of the Court saying that the suit was an abuse of Court process.
Bello’s Counsel, Friday Ekpa Esq, however, countered this, saying that none of the cases before the FCT High Court was against the person of Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
After the High Court ruled that it had jurisdiction to entertain the case, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed the ruling.
The Court of Appeal, in the appeal number, “CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024”, however, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit and affirmed that the Kogi State High Court had jurisdiction to entertain the case.
