The Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan trial was delayed again as the judge was absent, prompting a new February 2025 date

The Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan trial on allegations of cybercrime was on Monday stalled at the Federal High Court in Abuja due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar.

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The matter, earlier fixed for hearing, was adjourned to 4 February 2025 for the commencement of proceedings.

The case had previously failed to progress on 21 October, when activists led by Mr Omoyele Sowore held a protest outside the court demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, recently convicted on terrorism charges.

Justice Umar had fixed that date for hearing after an earlier adjournment on 22 September, which followed a preliminary objection raised by the defence.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on 30 June on six counts filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.

The charges stemmed from petitions submitted by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello. She was later granted bail, and the matter was initially scheduled for trial in September.

At the resumed sitting on 22 September, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe prepared to call the first witness, with a television screen already mounted in the courtroom for evidence presentation.

However, defence counsel Ehiogie West-Idahosa, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected to the start of trial, arguing that he had filed a notice challenging the court’s jurisdiction and alleging an abuse of the Attorney-General’s prosecutorial powers. He further stated that he had not received the witness statements.

Although Kaswe urged the court to proceed, Justice Umar ruled that the prosecution must first respond to the preliminary objection, stressing that he intended to resolve the issue before taking any further steps.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of transmitting false and injurious information through electronic means with intent to malign, incite, endanger lives, and breach public order.

The senator is alleged to have claimed on 4 April in Ihima, Kogi State, that Akpabio directed former governor Bello to have her killed, an allegation she reportedly repeated during a television interview.