The Federal government has discontinued the criminal prosecution of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senator representing Kogi central, effectively ending a high-profile case that emerged amid broader legal disputes involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The federal government has withdrawn all criminal charges against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, in a move that marks a major shift in a case that attracted nationwide attention.
Court documents show that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation formally discontinued the prosecution at the federal high court in Abuja. In the notice of discontinuance, the government stated that “the Office of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation intends to discontinue proceedings in this matter.”
The notice, filed under sections 108(1), 108(2)(a) and 108(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, was signed by M.B. Abubakar, director of public prosecutions of the federation, and Aderonke Imana, assistant chief state counsel, on behalf of Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice.
Court records indicate that the notice was received and endorsed by the federal high court, Abuja, on December 15, 2025, and later certified as a true copy by the court registry on December 18, 2025.
The development comes against the backdrop of a broader withdrawal from legal actions linked to the controversy. On Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said he had directed his lawyers to withdraw all court cases he instituted against individuals over alleged defamation.
“I have instructed my lawyers to withdraw all pending defamation suits,” Akpabio said.
In December 2025, Akpabio had filed a N200 billion defamation suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Abuja against Akpoti-Uduaghan, following sexual harassment allegations made against him.
The federal government’s decision to discontinue the criminal case is expected to reduce legal tensions surrounding the dispute, even as public scrutiny continues over the intersection of politics, power, and the justice system.