Contrary to the report by an online news outlet quoting the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as sarcastically mocking the nation’s anti-graft police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in its handling of the N200bn cases instituted against former Governor Yahaya Bello, Akpoti-Uduaghan has cleared the air, saying her statement was not sarcastic as assumed by the publisher.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a message to correct previous information provided by the publisher of the report, asserted: “It’s not a sarcastic applause. I actually praised EFCC and wish to encourage them. So your report is wrong. Please correct it. I appreciate EFCC and jokingly encourage them”.
The ‘misleading’ report read: “The ongoing money-laundering trial of former Kogi State governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello took an unusually sarcastic turn this week after Senator Natasha H Akpoti appeared to openly mock the proceedings with a cutting comment under a post by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Shortly after the anti-graft agency shared updates from the Federal High Court in Abuja, where witnesses continued to detail alleged financial misconduct linked to the former governor, Akpoti dropped a comment that immediately caught public attention. ‘Dear Economic and Financial Crimes Commission… I have a box of Swiss chocolates for you,’ she wrote, accompanied by emojis. The remark, though brief, was widely interpreted as sarcastic applause rather than praise”.
It was further stated in the refuted report: “The timing of the comment proved significant. In court, an EFCC witness had just told the judge that funds belonging to Kogi State local government councils were allegedly channelled into multiple private accounts through structured deposits designed to avoid mandatory financial reporting. According to the testimony, the deposits were deliberately broken into amounts below N10 million, the threshold that would normally trigger a Currency Transaction Report to Nigeria’s financial intelligence authorities. Shortly after the inflows, the funds were allegedly withdrawn in cash or transferred to other private accounts. Bello, who governed Kogi State between 2016 and 2023, is standing trial on 19 counts bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving more than N80 billion. He has pleaded not guilty and maintains that the charges are politically motivated, while his legal team insists that the prosecution has failed to directly link him to the transactions in question.
“Against that backdrop, Akpoti’s ‘Swiss chocolates’ comment struck many Nigerians as a form of dry, almost theatrical mockery. On social media, users described it as a sarcastic slow clap, suggesting congratulations not for a conviction, but for the mere fact that the trial continues to inch forward after years of delays, adjournments and legal manoeuvres. For critics of Bello, the comment captured a widespread public mood of frustration over how long high-profile corruption cases often take to reach resolution. The remark also revived memories of Akpoti’s long-running political rivalry with Bello. Long before the courtroom battles began, the senator had repeatedly accused the former governor of authoritarian leadership, intimidation of opponents and reckless management of public resources during his tenure. Their clashes, both political and personal, have been among the most visible in Kogi State politics over the past decade. Reactions to the comment were sharply divided. Supporters of the senator praised her for saying what many Nigerians were thinking, arguing that satire has become one of the few ways citizens can express anger over perceived injustice and impunity. Critics, however, accused her of politicising an ongoing trial and making light of serious allegations involving public funds meant for grassroots development.
“Justice Emeka Nwite has adjourned the case to early February 2026 for cross-examination of witnesses and continuation of hearing. The EFCC says it is steadily building its case, while Bello’s defence insists the evidence so far proves nothing. Yet beyond the courtroom, Akpoti’s comment has ensured that the trial remains firmly in the public conversation, not just as a legal process but as a symbol of Nigeria’s long struggle with corruption, accountability and delayed justice. For many Nigerians, the chocolates may be imaginary, but the sarcasm reflects a very real demand: that justice, eventually, be served without irony”.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the report that she was being sarcastic in her comment posted on the EFCC official Facebook account and demanded correction to the “misleading” publication in circulation.
