Federal govt slams fresh Cybercrime charge against Senator Natasha

The Federal Government has slammed fresh charges against the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The new charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/25, was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on May 22, 2025, just weeks after a similar charge, CR/297/25, was instituted at the FCT High Court. Both charges were based on the comments allegedly made by the female Senator, which the government claimed were damaging to the reputations of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello.

While the case before the FCT High Court is premised on Section 392 of the Penal Code, which deals with criminal defamation, the Federal High Court charge is filed under Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act, 2024 (as amended). The government alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made online statements that “could damage the public image” of Akpabio and Bello.

The Senator has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and designed to intimidate opposition voices.

The filing of parallel charges in different courts has triggered accusations of forum shopping, controversial legal tactic where litigants file identical or similar suits in multiple courts to increase their chances of securing a favourable ruling.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is expected to appear before the Federal High Court for arraignment on June 30, 2025, following her earlier bail granted by the FCT High Court on June 19, 2025.

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