Sen. Natasha’s cybercrime suit against Akpabio stalls as court adjourn to 2026

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged cybercrime against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to February 4, 2026.

The adjournment followed the absence of Justice Mohammed Umar, who was reportedly away on an official assignment outside Abuja on Monday.

The trial was previously interrupted on September 22 after a protest led by Omoyele Sowore demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

During that protest, Justice Umar’s court on the third floor of the high-rise building was locked, halting court proceedings.

The matter was, however, fixed for November 24 when activities at the court resumed on Tuesday.

However, at this Monday’s proceedings, an official of the court informed the lawyers and litigants that the court would not be sitting on the ground that the Judge was engaged in an official assignment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar.

She was granted bail, following which Justice Umar adjourned till September 22 for the commencement of trial.

However, on the last adjourned date when the prosecuting lawyer, David Kaswe, was about to open his case by calling the 1st witness, the defence lawyer raised an objection.

The development was after a television screen had been mounted in the courtroom preparatory to the commencement of proceedings.

The defence lawyer, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, had expressed concern about the possibility of the prosecution opening its case.

West-Idahosa had told the court that a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case had already been filed.

He said the objection is not to the nature of the charge, but the alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

The lawyer had also complained about not being served with copies of the statements of the prosecution witnesses.

Although Kaswe had on that day argued that the objection filed by the defendant should not be allowed to stall the court’s business for the day, Justice Umar insisted that the prosecution must first respond to the objection.

The judge had, however said he intended to first determine the objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the case.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, is alleged to have transmitted false and injurious information via electronic means with the intention to malign, incite and endanger lives and breach public order.

The senator was alleged to have, while addressing a gathering on April 4 in Ihima, Kogi State, accused the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of instructing ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi to have her killed in the state.

She was also alleged to have, in a television interview, repeated similar claims, to the effect that the Senate President and former governor Yahaya Bello plotted to kill her in Kogi.

The charge is brought under the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, (Amendment) Act 2024.

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