The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday adjourned the trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is facing a six-count criminal charge under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2024. The trial, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, was postponed until February 4th, 2026, due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar.
The trial has faced repeated delays, most recently being set back from its previously scheduled date on October 21st. Then, proceedings were stalled after a protest led by Mr. Omoyele Sowore to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently convicted on terrorism offences. The court had previously set October 21st for hearing, but again, the matter could not proceed.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stands accused of transmitting “false and injurious information via electronic means with the intention to malign, incite, and endanger lives and breach public order.” The prosecution claims that on April 4th, 2025, at a public address in Ihima, Kogi State, she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of instructing former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi to have her killed in the state. She allegedly repeated similar statements during a television interview, “asserting that the Senate president and former governor plotted to kill her in Kogi.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, challenged the court’s jurisdiction, stating the objection was “not to the nature of the charge, but the alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).” The defence also raised concerns about not being served with copies of prosecution witness statements as required. The prosecuting lawyer, David Kaswe, maintained that the objection should not prevent the court from proceeding, but Justice Umar ruled that he would first determine the jurisdictional objection before taking any further steps in the trial.
Since her arraignment on June 30th, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was granted bail. However, the case has seen a series of adjournments due to preliminary legal objections and disruptions in court proceedings.
The next court session is now scheduled for February 4th, 2026, with the commencement of trial subject to the resolution of the defence’s objection. The charge alleges a serious violation of cybercrime law for publishing information the prosecution says was intended to incite and endanger public order, a charge the senator denies.
