A High Court in Lokoja has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay ₦1 billion in damages to former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello over defamatory remarks as seen by NAN.
In a judgment dated April 23, Justice A.S. Ibrahim ruled that comments made by the senator during a November 4, 2022 appearance on The Morning Show on Arise TV were damaging to Bello’s reputation.
According to the court, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s description of Bello as a “murderer” and “terror to the people of Kogi State” could not be justified.
The judge also issued a perpetual injunction barring the senator and her associates from making further defamatory statements about Bello across television, radio, or other platforms.
Bello had filed the suit, arguing that the remarks harmed his character. During the proceedings, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team questioned the court’s jurisdiction, but the court disagreed and proceeded with the case.
An earlier appeal challenging the court’s authority was also dismissed, clearing the way for the trial to continue.
With the ruling, the court awarded ₦1 billion in damages in Bello’s favour, bringing the legal battle to a decisive close at the High Court level.
