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Court grants Natasha Akpoti N50m bail in ‘defamation’ suit, rejects FG’s application to remand her

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A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has granted bail in the sum of N50 million to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Chizoba Orji, presiding judge, rejected the application by the federal government to remand the Akpoti-Uduaghan in prison custody pending trial.

The judge held that there was no justification to deny Akpoti-Uduaghan bail, noting that there was “sufficient evidence” before the court showing her willingness to face trial.

As part of the bail conditions, the court directed that the senator must produce one surety, who must be a “person of integrity” and owner of a landed property within Abuja.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to September 23 for commencement of trial.

The senator appeared in court on Thursday in the company of her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan. Also present were Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education; Aisha Yesufu, human rights activist; and a number of supporters.

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Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on criminal defamation, with the federal government as the complainant. The charges were filed on May 16, 2025, in suit number CR/297/25.

The case lists Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, and former Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi state, as nominal complainants.

According to the charge, the lawmaker was accused of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” an offence under section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under section 392.

Akpoti-Uduaghan pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

In one of the counts, the Kogi senator was alleged to have claimed in a television interview that Akpabio and Bello plotted to assassinate her.

She was also accused of making damaging statements about Akpabio during a private phone conversation with one Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on or about March 27, 2025.

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The charges follow a series of confrontations between the lawmaker and the senate leadership, which culminated in her suspension from the red chamber on March 6 for what the leadership described as “gross misconduct”.

The suspension followed an altercation involving seating arrangements and what Akpoti-Uduaghan later described as harassment by Akpabio.

She has since insisted that her suspension was illegal and a ploy to silence her, while rejecting the senate’s claim that it was unrelated to the harassment allegation.

In the weeks following her suspension, the senator submitted several petitions and made public accusations against Akpabio, including the assassination plot claim.

In April, Akpabio petitioned the inspector-general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, demanding an investigation and the prosecution of Akpoti-Uduaghan for “criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace”.

Bello also petitioned the IGP over similar claims made by the senator, specifically alleging that he was behind efforts to initiate a recall process against her.

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Tinubu returns to Nigeria after state visit to UK

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President Bola Tinubu arrived in Lagos early on Friday following a two-day historic visit to the United Kingdom.

The president is expected to join Muslim faithful later in the day to mark the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.

Tinubu and his wife, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, touched down at about 1:15 a.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

They were received on arrival by top government officials and party members, including Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Hamzat and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside other All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts.

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Tinubu departs UK for Nigeria after historic state visit

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed the the United Kingdom for Nigeria following a high-profile state visit.

This was disclosed on Friday morning by the President’s Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“President Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu depart London for Nigeria. President Tinubu and his wife are heading to Lagos for the Eid-el-Fitr celebration,” Onanuga wrote on his Facebook page.

The visit was marked by royal engagements, economic discussions and renewed diplomatic ties.

Tinubu was first received by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, where both leaders held talks aimed at strengthening relations between Nigeria and the UK. The visit featured ceremonial honours, including a carriage procession and a state banquet attended by senior members of the royal family.

At the banquet, Tinubu emphasised the importance of stronger cooperation between both countries. “Nigeria remains ready to deepen its partnership with the United Kingdom in trade, investment and shared prosperity,” he said. “We are committed to creating an environment that supports investors and drives sustainable growth,” Tinubu said.

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On his part, King Charles highlighted the enduring relationship between the two nations. “The United Kingdom and Nigeria share deep and enduring ties. Our countries are bound not only by history, but by a shared commitment to opportunity, enterprise and cultural exchange,” the monarch said.

Beyond the royal engagements, Tinubu also took part in meetings with UK officials, including discussions linked to the government of Keir Starmer, focusing on economic collaboration and investment opportunities.

Speaking on the outcomes of the visit, Tinubu said: “This visit has opened new pathways for cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and trade. We look forward to translating these discussions into tangible benefits for our people.”

A key development from the trip was progress on an agreement involving the rehabilitation of Nigerian ports, valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. According to officials, the project is expected to boost maritime capacity and support economic growth.

Tinubu also acknowledged the significance of the visit, noting that it comes at a crucial time for Nigeria’s economy. “We are determined to reposition our economy through strategic partnerships such as this,” he said.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027 gov poll: Succession firestorm heats up in 10 states

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1. The simmering build-up to the 2027 general elections is rapidly giving way to an expansive and high-stakes succession season in at least 10 states, as governors in their final terms prepare to exit and a new generation of political actors moves to take their place.

Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) are in the final lap of their constitutionally permitted two-term, four-year tenures, and the battle for their successors has begun across the states


2. President Bola Tinubu on Thursday night departed London after a two-day historic visit at the instance of the royal family. He is expected to land in Abuja on Friday morning.


3. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian military to adopt a more proactive strategy against terrorist groups in the wake of deadly bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Abubakar made the appeal on Wednesday evening while declaring Friday as Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.


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4. Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State says the time of Boko Haram informants and their sympathizers is up, vowing that they would be tracked and made to face the full wrath of the law. The governor gave the warning during a state-wide broadcast on Thursday.


5. There was panic at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Agulu, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, after a fully loaded lorry crashed into the church premises and caught fire. The incident, which occurred late on Wednesday along the Agulu Lake–Golden Tulip Hotel Road, caused gridlock as motorists slowed down while emergency responders battled to contain the blaze.



6. Nigeria has entered into a fresh agreement with the United Kingdom that will enable British authorities to repatriate thousands of failed asylum seekers and convicted offenders to the West African nation. The deal was formalised by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Britain.


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7. Combined security operatives have arrested three suspected bandits linked to the February 3, 2026 attack on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The arrest was disclosed on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ibraheem Abdullateef, in a Facebook post.



8. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kano Strategic Command, has arrested a suspect and recovered 510 blocks of cannabis sativa in a major pre–Eid-el-Fitr operation. The State Commander, D.Y. Lawal, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari.


9. Nigeria has been ranked the fourth most terrorized country in the world, according to the Global Terrorism Index, 2026, released by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a non-profit think tank headquartered in Sydney, Australia. The report showed that 750 Nigerians lost their lives to terrorism in 2025, representing a 46 per cent increase compared to the previous year.



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10. The Police Command in Enugu State has detained three suspects in coordinated crime prevention operations across the state, recovering a firearm, ammunition and a tricycle. The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu. Ndukwe said that on March 15, about 9 a.m., operatives on patrol along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway intercepted an unregistered tricycle.

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