A coalition of Nigerian women’s rights groups under the umbrella body of Womanifesto has issued a blunt condemnation of what it describes as a coordinated and desperate attempt to silence Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing state authorities of weaponising the judiciary to intimidate female voices in politics.
The coalition expressed outrage over what it called a “judicial ambush” at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The incident involved the deployment of ten truckloads of armed policemen, allegedly in an attempt to unlawfully arrest the senator without formal court service or prior notice.
According to the statement issued by the group on Tuesday, it lamented the “sinister plot to silence the collective voice of Nigerian womanhood,” stating the attempted arrest was foiled only by the swift intervention of a vigilant lawyer present at the court premises.
“This is not just about Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan; it is about every Nigerian woman,” said the group’s co-convener, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi.
“What we witnessed today is nothing short of a judicial ambush, a desperate act of political intimidation aimed at humiliating a sitting Senator and stifling the voice of truth,
The fact that this exact same charge is also slated for hearing at the FCT High Court on Thursday underscores the desperation of the state to persecute Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, even if it’s for a single day.”
The charges against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stem from statements she allegedly made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Despite being personal in nature, the case is being prosecuted by the Federal Government, a move Womanifesto described as highly suspect.
“They want to shut women up, to make us afraid to speak out when harassed. This calculated move from ‘give me a good seat’ to ‘the prison,’ from ‘stop harassing me’ to ‘six-month suspension or better still elimination,’ is unacceptable and must be resisted with every fiber of our being.” declared a prominent women’s leader.
Womanifesto also highlighted the Federal High Court’s earlier refusal on June 3 to issue a bench warrant for the Senator’s arrest due to lack of proper service, framing the latest events as a troubling circumvention of due process.
The group laid out six key positions in its statement: “The attacks on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan symbolize a broader campaign to suppress outspoken women across Nigeria; The actions of the Nigerian government suggest an attempt to intimidate women into silence, especially when confronting powerful male figures;
“The disregard for legal procedures and duplication of charges in multiple courts point to a calculated attempt to secure a conviction at all costs; Weaponizing the judiciary for political ends poses a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy and Womanifesto demands an immediate end to all forms of harassment directed at Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and the protection of her right to speak out on matters of public interest.