Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, demanding the arrest and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over what he describes as false and defamatory allegations made against him.
The petition, dated April 16 and signed by Bello’s legal counsel, N.A. Abubakar, accuses the senator representing Kogi Central of making “malicious and inciting statements” during her April 1 homecoming event in Okehi Local Government Area. Bello claims the lawmaker falsely linked him to an assassination plot, damaging his reputation and threatening public peace.
“We urge the Nigeria Police to invite Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to provide proof of her claims,” the petition reads. “If she fails, she should be arrested and prosecuted for criminal defamation, incitement, and spreading false information in violation of extant laws.”
In a separate letter served to the senator by another of Bello’s lawyers, R.O. Balogun, the former governor is also demanding a public apology and retraction, warning of impending legal action should she refuse.
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The former governor further argues that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements contravened Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015. His legal team says the allegations have not only painted Bello as a “violent political actor” but also attempted to stoke ethnic division among the people of Ebiraland and Kogi Central.
Bello insists that the comments were politically motivated, made without evidence, and amounted to a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image and endanger his life.
This development adds fuel to the long-standing political rivalry between Bello and Akpoti-Uduaghan, as tensions continue to mount within the Kogi political landscape.