Court gags Senator Natasha, awards ex-Gov Yahaya Bello N1bn in explosive ruling

A High Court sitting in Lokoja has slammed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan with a N1 billion damages award for defaming former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.

In a judgment delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim, the court held that the senator’s comments during a November 4, 2022 appearance on The Morning Show on Arise TV were defamatory and unjustified.

The court ruled that describing Bello as a “murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State” amounted to a direct attack on his character and reputation, which could not be substantiated.

Relying on the preponderance of evidence, the judge resolved all issues in favour of Bello and ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay N1 billion in damages.

Beyond the monetary penalty, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the senator, her agents, and associates from making further defamatory statements against the former governor on any media platform.

The legal battle, filed under suit number HCL/16/2023, had earlier seen the defendant challenge the court’s jurisdiction, describing the case as an abuse of court process. However, Bello’s counsel successfully argued otherwise.

An appeal filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Court of Appeal was subsequently dismissed for lacking merit, affirming the Kogi State High Court’s authority to hear the matter.

The ruling marks a significant legal victory for Bello and underscores the judiciary’s hard stance on defamatory public statements, particularly in politically charged disputes.