The Federal Government has officially withdrawn the criminal defamation case it brought against Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan last year.
This move brings to a close what had been described as a high-profile prosecution that drew nationwide attention and sparked widespread political debate.
Certified court documents obtained in Abuja over the weekend show that the Office of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed a Notice of Discontinuance on December 12, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, effectively ending the criminal proceedings against the Kogi Central senator.
The suit, instituted in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, followed petitions submitted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had faced charges of criminal defamation and cyber-bullying over statements she made during a televised interview on Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television, in which she claimed there were plans to harm her.
The Notice of Discontinuance stated that the prosecution was withdrawn in accordance with Sections 108(1), 108(2)(a), and 108(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, as well as under the court’s inherent powers.
The document was signed on behalf of the Attorney-General by officials from the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation and certified by the court.
The withdrawal comes after months of legal controversy, during which Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had raised concerns over alleged threats to her life. While she reportedly petitioned the Inspector-General of Police regarding these threats, she was subsequently arraigned on criminal charges for making the allegations public.
Prominent Nigerians, including Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, newly appointed Ambassador Reno Omokri, and Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, were named as prosecution witnesses.
As of the time of reporting, the Attorney-General’s office had not issued an official explanation for the discontinuance.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has consistently maintained her innocence, has not yet commented on the latest development.