Court Awards N1bn Damages Against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan In Ex- Gov. Bello Defamation Suit

A High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay N1 billion in damages to former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, over defamatory statements.

As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the judgment, delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim in suit No. HCL/16/2023, held that the claimant successfully proved his case on the balance of probabilities. A Certified True Copy of the ruling is dated April 23, 2026.

The court found that an interview granted by the senator on November 4, 2022, during The Morning Show, was defamatory and injurious to Bello’s reputation.

In the interview, she allegedly described the former governor using terms the court ruled were unjustified and damaging.

Justice Ibrahim ruled that the statements lacked legal justification and amounted to defamation, resolving all issues for determination in favour of the claimant.

In addition to the monetary award, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining Akpoti-Uduaghan, her agents, or associates from making further defamatory statements against Bello in any broadcast or public forum.

The legal dispute had earlier raised jurisdictional questions. Counsel to the defendant, Johnson Usman (SAN), argued that the suit constituted an abuse of court process. However, Bello’s counsel, Friday Ekpa, maintained that the case was properly before the court.

The High Court affirmed its jurisdiction, a position later upheld by the Court of Appeal in case No. CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024, which dismissed the senator’s appeal for lacking merit.

The suit was filed by Bello following the contested remarks made during the television interview.