Kogi Court Orders Senator to Pay N1 Billion to Bello for Defamation

A Kogi State High Court in Lokoja ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, to pay N1 billion in damages to former Governor Yahaya Bello on Thursday, ruling that her public statements accusing him of serious crimes constituted defamation.

The judgment, delivered by Justice A.S. Ibrahim in suit number HCL/16/2023 and dated April 23, stemmed from comments Akpoti-Uduaghan made during a live appearance on Arise Television's The Morning Show on November 4, 2022. In the broadcast, she described Bello as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts and a terror to the people of Kogi State. The court found these remarks injurious to Bello's character and reputation, holding that they lacked justification based on the preponderance of evidence. All issues raised in the suit were resolved in Bello's favor.

The ruling also included a perpetual injunction barring Akpoti-Uduaghan, her agents or associates from making further defamatory statements against Bello on television, radio or other media platforms. During the proceedings, Akpoti-Uduaghan's legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Johnson J. Usman, challenged the court's jurisdiction, arguing the suit...