A High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay N1 billion in damages to former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, over a defamation case.
The ruling brings to a close a legal battle that has drawn attention across political circles in the state.
The judgment, dated April 23, was contained in a Certified True Copy released after proceedings in Lokoja. The court ruled in favour of Bello after considering the arguments presented by both parties.
Justice A. S. Ibrahim, who presided over the case marked “HCL/16/2023”, said the decision was based on the weight of evidence before the court. He stated that the issues raised for determination were resolved in favour of the claimant.
“The interview granted by the defendant on 4/11/2022 on Arise TV programme of ‘The Morning Show’ is defamatory to the claimant’s character and reputation,” the judge ruled.
“The said interview of 4/11/2022 in which the defendant described the claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State was without justification.”
The court also issued a strict order to prevent any repeat of such statements. It granted “an order of perpetual injunction against the Defendant, [his] agents, privies or associates”, restraining them from making further defamatory comments against Bello on any media platform.
In addition, the court awarded damages against the senator. “The sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) only (is) awarded as damages against the Defendant and in favour of the Claimant,” the court declared.
The case stemmed from comments made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a televised interview in November 2022. Bello approached the court, arguing that the remarks damaged his reputation and standing.
During the proceedings, counsel to the defendant, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, had challenged the jurisdiction of the court. He argued that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process. However, Bello’s lawyer, Friday Ekpa, opposed the claim, insisting that the case was properly filed.
The trial court dismissed the objection and affirmed its authority to hear the matter. Dissatisfied with that decision, Akpoti-Uduaghan took the case to the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court, in suit number “CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024”, upheld the earlier ruling. It dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and confirmed that the Kogi State High Court had the jurisdiction to handle the case.
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