By Peace Udugba
The Federal Government has officially withdrawn the criminal defamation charge against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly.
The notice of discontinuance was filed on December 12, 2025, citing Sections 108(1), 108(2)(a), and 108(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had been charged with criminal defamation and cyberbullying following a televised interview in which she alleged a plot to eliminate her. The case attracted national attention and fueled political debate on freedom of speech and political intimidation.
In a related development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio—who had previously filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against the senator—has instructed his legal team to withdraw all ongoing defamation cases filed on his behalf.
This development underscores the Attorney-General’s constitutional authority to discontinue criminal cases in the public interest and could reshape the national conversation on whistle-blowing and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
