Former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, accusing suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory and inciting statements against him.
In a letter dated Wednesday and signed by his lawyer, Mr. N.A. Abubakar, Bello called on the Nigeria Police Force to invite Akpoti-Uduaghan to substantiate her claims with credible evidence. Failing that, he urged the police to arrest and prosecute her for alleged criminal defamation, incitement, and dissemination of false information.
According to the petition, Bello’s legal team insists the senator’s statements amount to serious criminal defamation and are designed to stir public disorder. The petition states that her comments violate Nigerian law, particularly the Penal Code applicable in Northern Nigeria, and the Cybercrimes Act of 2015.
In addition to the petition to the IGP, Bello, through another legal team led by Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, has issued a formal demand letter to Akpoti-Uduaghan. The letter requests a public apology and retraction of the statements published in two national newspapers. Should she fail to comply within 14 days, they warned of legal action.
The dispute stems from remarks allegedly made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a political rally on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area. In her speech, the senator claimed Senate President Godswill Akpabio had met with Bello and encouraged him to orchestrate her recall and, allegedly, her assassination. She also accused Bello of receiving funds during the meeting and implied that the killing should appear as a local mob attack.
These are extremely serious accusations that portray our client as a violent political figure,” the petition reads. “They are entirely baseless, incite ethnic and political tension, and damage his reputation and personal safety.
Bello’s lawyers also criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan for amplifying her remarks via social media, where videos of her speech have gone viral. They argue this was done deliberately to cause maximum harm to Bello’s public image.
In the letter to the senator, Bello’s legal counsel wrote:
Our client has long tolerated your persistent media harassment while in office. However, he no longer holds any political position and is no longer obligated to show such restraint.
They further described the senator as displaying behavior consistent with psychological instability and claimed her actions, if unchecked, could embolden others to weaponize political platforms with dangerous falsehoods.
The petition concludes with a call for urgent police action to uphold public order and protect political discourse from malicious manipulation.