By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Womanifesto, a coalition of more than 60 women’s groups in Nigeria, has condemned the attempted arrest of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it a politically driven act of intimidation.
The incident occurred on June 16, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where ten truckloads of armed police appeared without prior legal summons or supporting documentation. The senator avoided arrest due to the prompt action of her legal team.
According to Womanifesto, the charges stem from statements Akpoti-Uduaghan made about Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. The group argues the matter is being escalated through federal channels as a form of retaliation and suppression.
“This is not just about one woman,” said Co-Convener Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi. “It is an assault on every Nigerian woman who dares to speak truth to power.”
Womanifesto criticized what it described as the duplication of charges in multiple courts and failure to follow due legal process. It warned that using the judiciary to pursue political scores undermines public trust in legal institutions.
The coalition called on the public, civil society, and international observers to speak out against what it sees as targeted harassment and a broader attempt to silence women in political leadership.
“We reject any effort to intimidate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan or any woman who stands for justice,” Akiyode-Afolabi concluded
