Ex-Gov Bello petitions IGP over alleged defamation by Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan

Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over what he describes as “defamatory and inciting” statements made against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.

In a letter signed by his legal representative, N.A. Abubakar, and submitted to the IGP on Wednesday, Bello called for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to be invited by the police to provide evidence substantiating her allegations. The former governor also urged law enforcement to initiate legal proceedings if the senator is unable to do so.

“Where she fails to do so, cause her to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance, and spreading false information injurious to public peace,” the petition reads in part.

The dispute stems from statements reportedly made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a homecoming event on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State. According to Bello, the senator maliciously accused him of orchestrating an assassination plot and attempting to disguise it as mob or ethnic violence, an allegation he describes as both unfounded and damaging.

In a separate letter addressed directly to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Bello’s legal counsel, R.O. Balogun, demanded a public retraction and a formal apology, warning of legal action should she fail to comply.

The former governor, who led Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, described the senator’s remarks as a calculated attempt to tarnish his image and incite political and ethnic tensions. His legal team referenced Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, arguing that the statements, made in a public and politically charged environment, amount to criminal defamation.

“By accusing our client of plotting an assassination and naming him as a co-conspirator in a purported murder plot, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor,” the letter states.

“It is an attempt to mislead the public, stir ethnic distrust among Ebiraland clans, and compromise the personal safety and political future of our client,” the solicitor added.

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