“Claim linking Akpabio to Iniobong Umoren’s murder was false,” police report says, indicts Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

A police investigation has concluded that an allegation attributed to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, claiming Senate President Godswill Akpabio was involved in the 2021 murder of Iniobong Umoren and the harvesting of her organs, was false.

The report, dated 3 February 2026 and signed by Akin Fakorede, Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters, Abuja, followed a petition filed in April 2025 by Sandra Duru, president of The Unique Family Foundation.

According to the report, Ms Duru told police that the Kogi Central senator contacted her on 27 March 2025 and alleged that Mr Akpabio and his wife, Unoma, were responsible for Ms Umoren’s killing and for removing her organs to treat a medical condition. Ms Duru said she reported the claim and asked police to investigate.

The dispute between the two lawmakers had already been public. In February 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate leadership of marginalisation and unfair treatment. She also accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment. He denied both claims. The Senate later suspended her for six months.

Police said the senator was invited for questioning and gave a cautionary statement on 28 April 2025, denying that she made the allegation. Investigators also took a statement from Ina Okopi Agu, described in the report as the person who shared Ms Duru’s phone number with the senator.

The report said detectives examined an audio recording linked to the case and carried out a forensic voice analysis, which confirmed the recording contained a human voice. Officers were also sent to Akwa Ibom State to review records related to Ms Umoren’s murder, including the post-mortem report, court proceedings and interviews with her relatives.

According to the report, the post-mortem examination showed that no organs were missing. Family members also told investigators that no part of Ms Umoren’s body was removed. Police reviewed certified court records from the trial of Uduak Frank Akpan, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder in 2021.

Investigators concluded that the claim about organ harvesting “was false and without any iota of truth whatsoever” and that Mr Akpabio and his wife “had absolutely nothing to do” with the crime.

Based on the petition and the investigation, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed criminal defamation charges against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on 29 March 2025 under Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code.

The case did not proceed after Mr Akpabio chose to discontinue the prosecution. The Attorney-General subsequently applied to withdraw the charges, citing constitutional powers to do so.

Police commended Ms Duru for reporting the allegation and assisting investigators, saying her actions helped clarify the matter.

Efforts to reach Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to her known phone line did not connect.