A High Court sitting in Lokoja has awarded N1 billion in damages against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in a defamation suit instituted by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The decision is contained in a Certified True Copy of the judgment dated April 23, 2026. The court held that, based on the preponderance of evidence, judgment was entered in favour of the claimant.

Delivering judgment in suit number HCL/16/2023, Justice A. S. Ibrahim ruled that the two key issues formulated for determination were resolved in favour of the claimant.

The court found that statements made by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan during a November 4, 2022 appearance on The Morning Show on Arise TV were defamatory.

According to the court, the defendant’s remarks describing Bello as “a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State” were unjustified and injurious to his reputation.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, her agents, privies, or associates from further publishing or broadcasting defamatory statements against the claimant on television or radio platforms.

“The sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) is awarded as damages against the defendant and in favour of the claimant,” the court held.

The suit arose from a defamation claim filed by Bello against Akpoti-Uduaghan. Counsel to the defendant, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, had challenged the jurisdiction of the court, arguing that the matter constituted an abuse of court process.

However, Bello’s counsel, Friday Ekpa, opposed the objection, maintaining that no related case before the FCT High Court directly involved the claimant.

The High Court subsequently affirmed its jurisdiction, a decision that was appealed by the defendant.

In a ruling on appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and upheld the jurisdiction of the Kogi State High Court to hear the case.