Justice Musa Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday rejected the Federal Government’s application to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for failing to appear at the start of her defamation trial.
The prosecution, representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, sought the bench warrant after the senator did not show up for arraignment. Prosecuting counsel David Kaswe informed the court that the charge was served on the senator’s legal counsel earlier that morning, implying that she was aware of the hearing.
However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Jacob Usman (SAN), argued that the defendant had not been properly served with the charge before the hearing and therefore could not be expected to appear. He described the prosecution’s application as strange and uncourteous.
Justice Umar agreed, noting that the charge had not been served directly on the senator prior to the hearing and that serving her counsel on the same day was insufficient to presume her knowledge of the arraignment. Consequently, the judge refused the application for a bench warrant.
Instead, the court granted the prosecution’s request for substituted service of the charge through the senator’s counsel and adjourned the matter to June 30, 2025, for arraignment.
The case stems from alleged defamatory comments Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made during a live television interview on April 3, 2025. She accused Senate President Akpabio and former Governor Bello of conspiring to assassinate her and made other serious allegations against them.
The Federal Government, through the Attorney General’s office, is prosecuting the senator on defamation charges linked to these statements. The case has attracted significant public attention due to its political implications.
