A movement of Nigerian women, Womanifesto, has strongly condemned what they call a “desperate attempt to silence Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan” through coordinated legal assaults.

In a statement signed by co-convener of Womanifesto, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, representing over 350 members, the group demanded an immediate end to all forms of harassment and intimidation against the Senator.

They emphasised the need to protect her right to express views on public interest matters and alleged harassment.

They called for due process to be upheld and for the Nigerian judiciary to resist being weaponised for political witch-hunts, while highlighting the critical importance of judicial independence and integrity for a functioning democracy.

Womanifesto asserted that the “egregious abuse of court processes undermines public trust in our legal system.”

The charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan, arising from statements she reportedly made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, are being prosecuted by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Womanifesto views this unprecedented intervention, in what appears to be a personal defamation suit, as raising serious questions about the misuse of state machinery for private vendettas.

“This is an affront to womanhood, a direct message meant to intimidate and silence Nigerian women who dare to speak out against injustice, particularly sexual harassment and political malfeasance.

“They want to shut women up, to make us afraid to speak out when harassed. This calculated move is unacceptable and must be resisted with every fibre of our being,” Akiyode-Afolabi said.

The outrage stems from the scheduled arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan on defamation charges on June 19, 2025. This follows what Womanifesto described as a “shocking attempt to unlawfully arrest her” on Monday, June 16, 2025.

The group reported that 10 truckloads of armed policemen were deployed to the Federal High Court in Abuja, ostensibly to effect an arrest despite the Senator and her legal team not being formally served with any notice of a new suit. This “judicial ambush” was reportedly thwarted by the timely intervention of a vigilant lawyer.

Womanifesto asserts that these charges constitute a “blatant affront to justice, due process, and, indeed, to the collective voice of Nigerian womanhood.