A Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has dismissed a privacy infringement lawsuit filed by Ali Bello, nephew of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The court found that Bello, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Kogi State governor, did not prove that Akpoti-Uduaghan violated his privacy through her activity on social media.

Case Background

The dispute originated from a March 2024 post by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), which announced charges against former governor Yahaya Bello involving an alleged N84 billion fraud.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan replied to the EFCC’s post with a comment asking why the agency had deleted the same post on Facebook. She also referred to a property allegedly linked to the case, humorously requesting the return of a fictional book titled “The Defeated White Lion,” and mentioned the address of the property, which had been subject to forfeiture proceedings in 2022.

Court Ruling

Presiding Judge Sylvanus Oriji identified three main issues, including whether the senator’s post infringed upon Bello’s privacy rights and whether he was entitled to a public apology or N1 billion in damages.

The judge ruled that the property address referenced was already in the public domain and that Bello’s name was not explicitly mentioned in the post. While recognizing Bello’s right to privacy, the court dismissed his demands for an apology and compensation.

However, Judge Oriji criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to share an image of the residence and its address, calling it “improper” and “unconscionable” behavior for a public servant. He emphasized that such actions were inappropriate for someone in her position and should not be repeated.

“This conduct is hereby deprecated by the court,” Oriji stated, highlighting the case as a reminder of the ethical responsibilities of public officials, especially regarding their conduct on social media platforms.