Former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), calling for an investigation into what he describes as defamatory and inciting statements made against him by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The petition, signed by Bello’s solicitor, Mr. N.A. Abubakar, requests that the Nigeria Police Force invite Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to provide evidence supporting her allegations. Should she fail to do so, the petition urges the police to arrest and prosecute her for criminal defamation, incitement, and dissemination of false information capable of disrupting public peace.
Abubakar stated that the senator’s remarks were “false, reckless, and inciting,” and amounted to criminal defamation, incitement to public disorder, and false accusations—offences punishable under Nigerian law.
Bello, through another legal firm, Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN & Co., also served Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan with a separate legal notice demanding a retraction and public apology over her statements made at a political rally on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
During the event, the senator allegedly accused Bello of plotting to have her assassinated. Quoting her speech, the petition cites her as saying:
“Senate President Akpabio sent for Yahaya Bello… he told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it… The second thing he told him was that he should try and kill me… Akpabio told Yahaya Bello that the killing should not happen in Abuja but here [in Kogi], so it would seem like the people killed me.”
Bello’s lawyers say these statements, which have been widely circulated on social media, violate Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, and Sections 114 and 140 of the Penal Code, as they amount to the willful dissemination of false information intended to mislead the public and incite disorder.
The petition emphasized that accusing the former governor of a murder plot seriously damaged his reputation and endangered his personal safety, while also inciting ethnic and political tension in Kogi Central.
Further, the lawyers allege that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has a history of targeting Bello with false accusations, which he previously ignored in the interest of peace while he was governor. However, they say the former governor now seeks full legal redress, having completed his term in office.
The petition concludes by urging the IGP to act swiftly, stating that inaction would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging others to exploit political platforms for misinformation and personal vendettas.
In a separate letter to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, Bello’s legal team outlined three demands:
- A formal retraction of the alleged defamatory statements, to be published in two national newspapers.
- A cease-and-desist from making further defamatory remarks in any form.
- Compliance with the above demands within 14 days of receiving the notice.
The letter warned that failure to meet these demands would result in civil and criminal legal actions against the senator.
