Former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, demanding the arrest of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged defamatory remarks. Bello accuses her of false claims involving political sabotage and an assassination plot, seeking police action and a public apology to protect his reputation and safety.
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has formally petitioned Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, seeking the arrest of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged defamatory comments made during a recent political event in Kogi State.
The petition, signed by Bello’s legal counsel, N.A. Abubakar centers on remarks allegedly made by Akpoti-Uduaghan at a homecoming rally in Okehi on April 1, 2025. According to Bello, the senator falsely claimed that he was instructed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to organize her political recall and, more alarmingly, to orchestrate her assassination in a manner that would appear mob-related.
Bello described the accusations as “reckless” and “inciting,” alleging they were made without evidence and with the intent to damage his reputation and provoke unrest in Kogi Central. He urged police authorities to summon the senator for questioning and to proceed with prosecution if she cannot substantiate her claims.
In a separate legal notice addressed directly to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Bello’s legal team demanded a public apology and retraction of her statements within 14 days, or face civil and criminal litigation.
The former governor’s camp argues that the remarks have endangered Bello’s safety and political standing. The situation adds to the ongoing political tension between both figures in Kogi politics, reviving concerns about the use of inflammatory rhetoric in Nigeria’s increasingly contentious democratic environment.
Neither Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan nor her representatives have responded publicly to the allegations at this time.
