Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has written to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, asking for the arrest and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He accused her of making false and damaging claims against him during a recent political rally.
Bello’s lawyer, N.A. Abubakar, signed the petition and said the senator’s statements during a “Homecoming Rally” held on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area, were not only false but also dangerous.
The petition stated, “Where she fails to do so, cause her to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance and spreading false information injurious to public peace.”
Senator Natasha, who represents Kogi Central, was quoted at the rally as saying that Bello was involved in a plot to kill her. She also claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had asked Bello to begin a recall process against her and had promised funding for it. According to her, “Akpabio told Yahaya Bello… that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, that it should be done here, so it would seem as if it’s the people that killed me here.”
In response, Bello’s legal team, led by Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, described the statements as “false, reckless and inciting,” and said they were made to mislead the public and cause political tension in Kogi Central.
The letter also claimed the senator used her position to spread lies and called for a public apology. “Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor,” the lawyers said.
They also accused her of trying to incite ethnic division in Ebiraland and demanded that she withdraw the statements within 14 days, publish apologies in two national newspapers, and promise not to repeat such comments.
The lawyers added that if the senator failed to meet their demands, they would begin legal action.
They further urged the police to act quickly. “If this matter is not addressed properly, it could encourage others to make similar dangerous political statements,” the letter warned.
