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Akpabio denies filing new ₦200bn lawsuit against Natasha

Published

2 months ago

December 6, 2025

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Akpabio denies filing new ₦200bn lawsuit against Natasha

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed claims that he recently initiated a fresh legal action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, clarifying that no new lawsuit has been filed.

In a statement released on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, the Senate President described reports that he had “just filed” a ₦200bn lawsuit against Akpoti-Uduaghan as “misleading and incorrect.”

According to Udom, the defamation suit was instituted over three months ago, but progress had been slowed by procedural and administrative processes within the judiciary.
“Her claim that the matter was ‘just filed’ is therefore false, misleading, and intended to distort public understanding of the case,” he said.

The statement explained that the court’s bailiff made several unsuccessful attempts to personally serve Akpoti-Uduaghan with the originating processes.

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“Each attempt failed due to her deliberate evasion of service, as deposed to under oath in the bailiff’s affidavit before the court,” Udom stated.
He added that it was only after these repeated failed attempts that the court granted an application for substituted service in November.

Akpabio stressed that legal disagreements must be addressed through the courts rather than through social-media commentaries or online agitation.
“Legal disputes are resolved in courtrooms, not through orchestrated narratives and staged outrage on social-media platforms,” he said, adding that “the online applause Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan habitually seeks cannot replace credible evidence, legal procedure, or judicial scrutiny.”

The Senate President also referenced what he described as a “recurring pattern” in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct, noting her previous six-month suspension from the Senate, which he said she attempted to delegitimise online but ultimately served in full.

He urged her to present whatever evidence she claims to possess before a competent court.
“It is time for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to present the evidence she claims to possess, rather than relying on sensationalised commentary designed to attract sympathy and obscure the facts,” he said.

Akpabio insisted that the matter will be resolved strictly through proof, procedure, and due process, advising his colleague to properly brief her lawyers and file her defence in the ongoing suit.

Akpabio denies filing new ₦200bn lawsuit against Natasha

metro

EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Sarumi Samusudeen Babafemi, an associate of social media personality Ismaila Mustapha (Mompha), alongside three corporate entities, over an alleged ₦206 million fraud before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.

Babafemi — Managing Director and CEO of 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited — faces five counts of conspiracy, concealment, and transfer of proceeds of crime, allegedly committed between 2013 and 2018. The EFCC claims the offences involved large sums, including ₦37.6 million and ₦93 million transferred to third parties, with knowledge that the funds were proceeds of unlawful acts.

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When the charges were read, Babafemi pleaded not guilty. His defence lawyer, SAN Kunle Adegoke, filed a bail application, which the court granted, ordering that Babafemi be released to his counsel upon signing an affidavit of undertaking to appear in court. The trial is now scheduled to commence on March 24, 2026.

The EFCC said Babafemi acted in concert with Mompha and other co-accused — Ridwan Momodu Allison (Osama) and Richard Ugbah, who are currently at large — to facilitate the alleged money laundering scheme. This latest prosecution comes as part of broader EFCC efforts to tackle financial crimes and fraud networks linked to high-profile figures in Nigeria.

EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

metro

Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

Published

2 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

The Nigeria Police Force has officially confirmed that worshippers were abducted during attacks on churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, after initially denying the reports. The reversal comes as security agencies deploy tactical units to rescue the victims and secure the area.

Eyewitnesses and local sources say armed gunmen stormed multiple churches, including ECWA and Cherubim and Seraphim, during Sunday services, seizing dozens of worshippers. Community leaders report that over 170 people may have been abducted, with some survivors managing to escape.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other local bodies have condemned the attacks and called for an urgent and thorough rescue operation. Authorities say they are intensifying efforts to locate and safely recover the victims, amid growing national concern over mass kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in Kaduna State and other northern and central regions, where armed gangs and kidnappers frequently target vulnerable communities, often for ransom or political leverage. Families of the abducted worshippers continue to appeal for swift action as the rescue operations proceed.

Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

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Presidency Accuses IPOB of Spreading False Christian Genocide Claims in Nigeria

Published

2 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu

Presidency Accuses IPOB of Spreading False Christian Genocide Claims in Nigeria

The Presidency of Nigeria has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of deliberately spreading false claims of a Christian genocide, saying the narrative is being amplified to mislead international opinion and influence foreign policy. Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, described the reports as propaganda lacking verification and stressed that they do not reflect the reality of Nigeria’s security situation.

Bwala’s remarks follow widespread reports linking the so-called genocide narrative to statements from IPOB and affiliated actors, which have circulated on social media and attracted attention from international media and some foreign lawmakers. According to the Presidency, these claims oversimplify Nigeria’s complex security challenges, which include terrorism, banditry, and communal violence, rather than targeted religious persecution.

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The controversy has drawn U.S. congressional attention, with some lawmakers reportedly considering diplomatic responses. In response, the Nigerian Government has engaged U.S.-based lobbyists to highlight its efforts in protecting all citizens, regardless of faith, and to correct misleading narratives surrounding violence in the country.

Religious and civic leaders in Nigeria remain divided. While some dismiss the genocide claims as exaggerated and potentially divisive, others acknowledge violence against Christians but caution that framing it as genocide misrepresents the broader security context. Analysts warn that the debate over religious persecution and misinformation has significant implications for national unity, international perception, and Nigeria’s foreign relations.