The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the bail application filed by the legal team of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, led by Prof. Roland Ótaru SAN, on self-recognition in a fresh defamation suit against her by the federal government.
The lawmaker pleaded not guilty on the six count charges and the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, granted her bail on self-recognition on Monday.
The government arraigned the lawmaker on Monday on six counts bordering on alleged defamation of the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The judge adjourned the case to September 22, 2025 for commencement of trial.
Applying for bail, her lead counsel, Roland Otaru (SAN), had requested that she be granted bail on self-recognition as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and a senior member of the bar.
He had argued that there was no counter affidavit from the prosecution challenging the bail application.
Senator Natasha was accompanied to court on Monday by her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan; Activist Aisha Yesufu; and her supporters.
This was the lawmaker’s second arraignment on alleged defamation of Akpabio and Bello.
Recall that Senator Natasha was arraigned by the federal government on a similar charge on June 19, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
At the last hearing, the judge refused the request by the Federal Government to have Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remanded pending the determination of the trial.
According to the charge sheet, Senator Natasha had alleged on a live television programme that Akpabio and Bello were plotting her assassination.
The Nigerian Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, had instituted the lawsuit bordering on defamation, against the Senator.
