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Defamation: Court orders Natasha to pay Yahaya Bello N1b

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A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has awarded ₦1 billion in damages against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in a defamation suit filed by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello.

The judgment, delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim in suit number HCL/16/2023, stemmed from comments made by the senator during a live appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television on November 4, 2022.

The remarks, which included serious allegations against the former governor, became the basis of the legal dispute.

In his decision, Justice Ibrahim held that the statements made by the defendant were injurious to the claimant’s character and reputation and were not justified by the evidence presented before the court.

He noted that all issues formulated for determination were resolved in favour of the claimant.

“The interview granted by the defendant on 4/11/2022 on Arise TV programme ‘The Morning Show’ is defamatory to the claimant’s character and reputation.

“The said interview in which the defendant described the claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State was without justification,” the judge ruled.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the senator, her agents, privies, and associates from making further defamatory statements against Bello across television, radio, and other media platforms.

In addition, it awarded ₦1bn as general damages in favour of the former governor.

Reacting to the ruling, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the judgment, insisting that the court failed to properly evaluate the evidence she presented in her defence.

“I reject this judgment in its entirety. We presented substantial and credible evidence before the court, which, in our view, clearly justified our position. Unfortunately, these were not given due consideration,” she said.

The senator maintained that her comments were made in the public interest and not out of malice.

“My statements were based on information available at the time and were made in good faith, in the interest of accountability to the people of Kogi State,” she stated. “I firmly believe that the truth was not adequately reflected in the court’s findings.”

She further confirmed that her legal team has commenced the process of filing an appeal against the judgment.

“We are heading to the Court of Appeal. This is not the end of the matter. We will pursue all lawful avenues to ensure that justice is served,” she added.

 

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Enugu State govt suspends monarch for hosting Peter Obi

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The Enugu State Government has suspended His Royal Majesty, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Ogbozalla Opi Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.

The state government accused Igwe Ezugwu of violating provisions of the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.

In a letter of suspension dated September 24, the Enugu State Government cited his alleged failure to constitute his cabinet, failure to establish a Town Union governing body, and persistent conduct deemed inconsistent with the laws governing traditional rulers in the state.

The suspension comes barely three weeks after Igwe William Ezugwu received NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at his palace in Opi, Nsukka LGA, where he reportedly blessed Obi’s presidential ambition.

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Bandits ambush, kill Plateau state deputy commander, operation rainbow CSP Babale

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The Deputy Commander of Operation Rainbow, CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Dennis David Babale, has been killed after gunmen suspected to be Fulani Bandits ambushed personnel of the security outfit along the Bokkos-Barkin Ladi road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Operation Rainbow is a State-backed community security and intelligence-gathering outfit in Plateau State, Nigeria, originally established in 2010 under former Governor Jonah Jang and recently revamped by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to combat rural violence and beef up grassroots security.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 4:06 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 when the personnel, travelling in a Toyota Hilux vehicle, came under attack by unidentified gunmen.

Troops of Sector 4, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), responded to a distress report and moved to the location of the attack.

Sources told reporters that Babale sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention.

Following the attack, troops, working alongside personnel of other security agencies, launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the assailants within the general area.

Security forces have intensified efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks along the route.

 

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What NiMet DG Anosike, others discussed at WMO dialogue in China

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Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization, Prof. Charles Anosike and other Chief Executive Officers of similar agencies across the world, have concluded a one week high level dialogue on Climate Science Information for Climate Finance and the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE) in Beijing, China.

The event which was hosted by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), took place from September 14 to 18, 2026 and featured discussions on: strengthening the role and leadership development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing climate finance; aligning scientific and technical capabilities with risk-informed, people-centred early warning systems; shifting from technical assistance to sustainable investments by expanding practical cooperation between meteorological frameworks and multilateral financing entities; and support to NMHSs leadership on strengthening strategic thinking and fostering productive partnerships.

Held back-to-back with the High-level dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange to Fujian Province for first-hand exposure to the implementation of Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform – China’s AI-driven meteorological early warning solution in support of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and disaster risk reduction practices through technical exchanges, field visits and peer learning.

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