The Federal Government has formally dropped the criminal case filed against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, bringing an end to the legal action instituted against her at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The decision was communicated through a notice of discontinuance submitted by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, which listed the Federal Government as the complainant and Akpoti-Uduaghan as the defendant.
Court documents show that the withdrawal followed due legal process under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), effectively halting further prosecution in the matter.
The notice, dated December 12, 2025, cited Sections 108(1), 108(2)(a), and 108(5) of the ACJA, 2015, which empower the Attorney-General to discontinue criminal proceedings at any stage before judgment.
“The Office of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation intends to discontinue proceeding in this matter,” the document stated.
The notice was jointly signed by M. B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, and Aderonke Imana, the Assistant Chief State Counsel.
It was filed on behalf of Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Records from the Federal High Court indicate that the notice was officially received and endorsed by the Abuja division of the court on December 15, 2025.
The document was later certified as a true copy by the court registry on December 18, 2025, confirming its authenticity and finalising the withdrawal of the charge.
The development comes amid broader legal actions involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who on Thursday disclosed that he had instructed his lawyers to withdraw all court cases he initiated against individuals over alleged defamation.
It will be recalled that in December 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation suit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja against Akpoti-Uduaghan, following sexual harassment allegations she made against him.
The criminal charge withdrawn by the Federal Government was separate from the civil defamation suit, but both cases have drawn significant public attention due to the high-profile figures involved.
