The Federal High Court in Abuja has once again postponed the trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her ongoing alleged cybercrime case, following the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, on Monday.
The matter, earmarked for hearing today, has now been adjourned to February 4, 2026.
This is not the first postponement. The case had previously failed to hold on October 21, after a protest led by activist Omoyele Sowore disrupted court activities.
That demonstration called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently convicted on terrorism-related charges.
Justice Umar originally fixed October 21 after the September 22 proceedings were stalled by an objection raised by the defence team.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, and was granted bail before the trial was scheduled to begin.
At the last session, just as lead prosecution counsel David Kaswe prepared to call the first witness, with a television screen already mounted for evidence presentation, defence counsel Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, raised fresh concerns.
He informed the court that he had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
According to him, the objection does not dispute the content of the charges but questions what he described as an abuse of prosecutorial powers by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
He also argued that the defence had not been served with the prosecution witnesses’ statements.
Although Kaswe urged the court to proceed with the day’s business, Justice Umar ruled that the prosecution must respond to the objection before any further steps are taken in the matter.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused, under the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention (Amendment) Act 2024, of disseminating false and injurious information via electronic means with the intent to incite, malign, endanger lives, and disturb public order.
The allegations stem from remarks she made on April 4 in Ihima, Kogi State, where she reportedly claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had instructed former governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed.
Prosecutors say she repeated these claims during a television interview.
