Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over an alleged defamatory statement made against him by the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The petition, signed by his solicitor, Mr. N.A. Abubakar, calls on the Nigeria Police Force to invite Akpoti-Uduaghan to provide credible evidence supporting her claims. The letter further urged that should she fail to substantiate her allegations, the police should arrest and prosecute her for:
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Criminal defamation
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Inciting public disturbance
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Spreading false information injurious to public peace
Abubakar described the lawmaker’s statements as false, reckless, and inciting, emphasizing that they amount to serious criminal offenses under Nigerian law.
In a related move, Bello has also issued a legal notice to Akpoti-Uduaghan through his counsel, Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN & Co, demanding:
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A retraction of the alleged defamatory remarks
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A public apology published in two national dailies
Failure to comply, according to the notice, will result in legal action.
