Keypoints:
- Nigerian senator charged over murder plot claim
- Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged Akpabio, Bello planned to kill her
- Charges follow sexual harassment allegations
SENATOR Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been charged with defamation by the Nigerian government after claiming on national television that two prominent political figures were plotting her assassination.
Filed at the Federal High Court, the case stems from comments made during an April interview on Channels Television, in which Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello discussed plans to ‘eliminate’ her.
Both Akpabio and Bello have denied the accusation.
In the charge sheet, obtained by the BBC, Nigeria’s Attorney General cited the interview as containing statements capable of damaging the reputations of both men.
No response yet from senator
As of Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan had not responded publicly to the charges, and no court date has been announced. The case has drawn national attention and renewed scrutiny of gender dynamics and political accountability in Nigeria.
From harassment claims to criminal charges
The murder plot claim followed closely on the heels of a February allegation by Akpoti-Uduaghan that Akpabio had sexually harassed her — a claim he has also denied. The Senate later suspended her for six months without pay for what its ethics committee called ‘unruly and disruptive’ behaviour during Senate proceedings.
Supporters argue her suspension was retribution for speaking out.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of just four women in Nigeria’s 109-seat Senate, has since accused the upper chamber of operating ‘like a cult’. In a March interview with the BBC, she voiced fears for her safety and her young child, particularly after her official security detail was withdrawn.
Freedom of speech and gender equity in focus
Rights groups and political observers say the case could set an important precedent for how female lawmakers are treated in Nigeria and how dissent is handled. While the government insists the charges are strictly legal, critics claim they are politically motivated and reflect broader attempts to silence opposition voices.
