A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused an application by the Federal Government to issue a bench warrant against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an ongoing defamation case.
The government is prosecuting Akpoti-Uduaghan on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. The charges stem from alleged defamatory remarks the senator reportedly made during a live appearance on Channels Television on April 3, 2025—comments which included an accusation of an assassination plot against her.
When the matter was called on Monday, prosecuting counsel Mr D.D. Kasue informed the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment. However, Akpoti-Uduaghan was not present in court.
Kasue argued that since the charge had been served to the senator’s lawyer earlier in the day, she was aware of the proceedings and had chosen to ignore them. He then urged the court to issue a bench warrant for her arrest, citing deliberate absence.
“It was this morning that we were able to serve the defendant through her counsel,” he told the court. “So it means the defendant is aware of this matter but decided not to appear. I apply that a bench warrant be issued.”
But in a swift rebuttal, the defence counsel, Mr Jacob Usman, SAN, described the application as “strange and discourteous.”
Usman explained that he had proactively offered to accept the charges on behalf of his client once he became aware of the pending suit. He was served the charge at 9:15am—moments before the matter came up in court.
“She could not have appeared in court for a matter she wasn’t informed of,” Usman argued. “The application is in bad taste and should be refused.”
Presiding Judge, Justice Musa Umar, then asked the prosecution whether the defendant had been personally served with the charge. When Kasue admitted she had not, the judge promptly declined the request for a bench warrant.
“It is impossible to issue a bench warrant when the defendant has not been properly served,” Justice Umar ruled.
Instead, the judge granted a request—submitted by the prosecution as an apparent afterthought—for substituted service through the defendant’s legal representative.
The court adjourned the matter until 30 June for proper arraignment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defamation suit is linked to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s controversial television comments, where she allegedly accused top political figures of conspiring to harm her—remarks the prosecution claims were made with malicious intent and without evidence.
