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Court adjourns Natasha’s cybercrime trial till Oct 20

Published

9 months ago

September 22, 2025

The planned commencement of trial in the cybercrime charges brought against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, before the Federal High Court in Abuja was stalled on Monday following an objection raised by her counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing a six-count charge with suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, brought against her by the Federal Government.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was arraigned on June 30 and granted bail on self-recognition, is alleged to have transmitted false and injurious information via electronic means with the intention of maligning, inciting, endangering lives and breaching public order.

The charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan, while addressing a gathering on April 4, 202,5, in Ihima, Kogi State, alleged that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, instructed former Governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed in Kogi State.

She was alleged to have repeated the same claim during a television interview, asserting that the Senate President and the former Governor of Kogi State plotted to kill her in the state.

Some of the counts in the charge read, “That on or about April 1, 2025, while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, you — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan — intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit:

“…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have said. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here, so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me here…” And you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and punishable under the same Act”.

Another charge states that, on or about April 1, 2025, while addressing a crowd of people at Ihima Community, Kogi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan — intentionally caused the following communication to be transmitted via a computer system and network, to wit:

“…and Akpabio told Yahaya Bello, I am saying, standing by what I have said. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here, so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me here…” And you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, knew this contained a threat that could harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, a former Governor of Kogi State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

At the resumed sitting, the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that the business of the day was for the prosecution to open its case by calling its first witness.

Kaswe, who had arranged for a television screen to be mounted in the courtroom in preparation for the proceedings, told the court that the prosecution had its witness present and was ready to proceed.

In response, defence counsel, West-Idahosa, raised concerns about the possibility of the prosecution opening its case.

West-Idahosa told the court that his client had filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

He explained that the objection was not directed at the nature of the charge itself, but at what he described as an alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The defence lawyer also complained that they had not been served with copies of the statements of the prosecution’s witnesses.

Although Kaswe argued strongly that the objection raised by the defendant ought not to stall the business of the day, Justice Umar insisted that the prosecution must first respond to the objection.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, stated that he intended to first determine the preliminary objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the matter.

He consequently adjourned the case to October 20 for the hearing of the objection and commencement of the trial.

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11th Senate to consider six-year single term for president, governors – Lawmaker

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed plans to sponsor a bill seeking to introduce a single six-year tenure for presidents and governors after the 2027 general elections.

Bamidele said the proposed legislation would be among the first bills he intends to introduce when the next Senate is inaugurated, arguing that it would enable elected leaders to focus on governance rather than re-election campaigns.

Speaking during an interview with reporters in his office on Tuesday, the lawmaker said the current two-term arrangement often compels officeholders to devote a significant portion of their first term to political calculations and preparations for re-election.

“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be president of this country, or governor in any part of this country, to spend only one term of six years,” he said.

According to him, a single tenure would eliminate distractions associated with seeking a second term.

“So that you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected,” Bamidele said.

“If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have.”

The Senate Leader acknowledged that the proposal may not enjoy universal support but maintained that lawmakers have a responsibility to initiate reforms they believe would strengthen governance.

“That’s my opinion. It doesn’t mean everybody will agree with me. But it also does not mean that I am prevented from doing that because that has not been the law,” he said.

Bamidele stressed that laws are meant to evolve in response to changing realities and public needs.

“The essence of law, the essence of parliament, is that laws are like human beings; they grow,” he added.

The proposal, if formally introduced and passed by the National Assembly, would require constitutional amendments before it can take effect.

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Ibadan visitation: Nobody can stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria – Sheikh Gumi

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi Ahmad, has broken his silence on his visitation to Ibadan late last year, amidst outrage that he was trying to Islamise Oyo State with some Northern ideologies and tenets.

Gumi stressed that nobody can stop him from visiting anywhere in the country, while maintaining that he was not invited by any Muslim group or individual in the South-West.

In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, he said he was in Ibadan as a representative of northern Islamic scholars.

He made this known barely a day after one of the victims of the abduction in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State dismissed claims that their abductors demanded the implementation of Sharia law in the state as part of the conditions for releasing the victims.

PUNCH Online reports that the principal of Community High School, Esiele, Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, while speaking from captivity in a now-viral video, said the gunmen said they never demanded the introduction of Sharia law or a N1 billion ransom as reported in some quarters, but rather for the release of their associates currently in the custody of Nigerian authorities.

Also, the Muslim Rights Concern rejected the alleged demand for Sharia in a statement issued on Monday, describing the report as “a lie from the pit of Jahannam (hell)”.

MURIC argued that the so-called demand was inserted by enemies of Islam in the negotiation team to tarnish the image of Islam.

However, aligning with the Islamic group’s position, Gumi wrote, “I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW (South-West) and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics.

“I was in Ibadan, not by the invitation of any SW Muslim individual or group, but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.

“Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?”

Recall that Gumi visited Ibadan on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, where he served as a special guest and speaker at the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit.

The event took place at the University of Ibadan.

During his visit, he also attended a courtesy session alongside other prominent Southern and Northern Muslim scholars.

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Troops rescue six kidnap victims after clash with terrorists in Borno

Published

9 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued six kidnap victims following a confrontation with terrorists along the Delwa–Komala road in Borno State.

The incident occurred at about 17:58 hours on June 6, 2026 when troops at Forward Operating Base Molai received intelligence that armed terrorists had intercepted and abducted civilians travelling along the route.

Troops were immediately mobilised on a fighting patrol to the location and reportedly made contact with the terrorists upon arrival in the general area.

According to the sources, the armed group abandoned the victims and fled into nearby bushes following the troops’ approach.

The victims were successfully rescued unharmed and comprised four adult males, one adult female and one minor.

They were said to have been secured and moved to a safer location for further assessment and necessary documentation.

The military noted that the general security situation in the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, adding that troops continue to maintain aggressive patrols and clearance operations across vulnerable areas.

It further stated that troops’ morale and operational effectiveness remain satisfactory as operations continue to deny terrorists freedom of action within the North-East theatre.

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