A High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay ₦1 billion in damages to former governor Yahaya Bello over defamatory remarks.
The ruling, delivered on April 23 by Justice A. S. Ibrahim in suit number HCL/16/2023, found that the claimant successfully proved his case on the balance of probabilities.
According to the court, statements made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during an interview on The Morning Show on Arise TV on November 4, 2022, were defamatory and unjustified. In the broadcast, the senator described Bello as “a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State.”
Justice Ibrahim held that the comments lacked evidential backing and were capable of injuring the reputation of the former governor in the eyes of the public. The court noted that such allegations, when made without proof, amount to defamation under the law.
In its judgment, the court emphasised the importance of responsible public communication, particularly by political office holders, whose statements carry significant weight and influence.
Consequently, the court awarded ₦1 billion in damages in favour of Bello as compensation for the harm caused to his reputation.
The case underscores the growing scrutiny of public statements by political figures and reinforces the legal consequences of making unsubstantiated allegations in the public domain.
