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The absence of Ms. Anthonet Izuegbu, a friend of actress Regina Daniels, on Thursday stalled her arraignment before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over allegations of criminal defamation and other offences contained in charges filed against her.
When the matter came up before Justice Ekerete Akpan, the defendant, who reportedly collapsed during the previous sitting, was absent from court, prompting the court to adjourn the case until September 15, 2026.
Izuegbu, also known as “Ann”, was scheduled to be arraigned in the matter involving allegations bordering on criminal defamation against Senator Ned Nwoko and other allegations contained in the charge before the court.
The court did not proceed with the arraignment following her absence.
Meanwhile, Senator Ned Nwoko’s media team, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said Izuegbu’s arrest was connected to alleged defamatory statements she made against the lawmaker.
The team said this was contrary to what it described as “misleading and inflammatory narratives” circulating on social media platforms.
According to the statement, Izuegbu allegedly made claims that Senator Nwoko physically assaulted his wife, Mrs. Laila Nwoko, resulting in a miscarriage.
The media team denied the allegation, describing the claims as false and alleging that they were part of attempts to reinforce what it called previously circulated and unsubstantiated domestic violence allegations.
The team further alleged that Izuegbu was implicated in the procurement of an abortion involving Regina Daniels during her marriage to Senator Nwoko.
According to the statement, the matter had previously been referenced publicly by Regina Daniels.
The media team also alleged that a witness statement dated October 29, 2025, submitted to the Area Commander, Maitama Police Station, contained allegations of repeated activities involving Izuegbu and others.
It claimed that the statement accused Izuegbu of sourcing, handling and administering controlled substances to Regina Daniels and other individuals.
The team further alleged that Izuegbu’s arrest was preceded by a social media post in which she allegedly made threats, derogatory remarks and defamatory accusations against Senator Nwoko and Mrs. Laila Nwoko.
According to the media team, … formed part of the basis for the legal action against her.
The team maintained that the matter was not a social media dispute but a legal issue requiring due process and determination by the court.
Izuegbu has not entered a plea to the allegations. The claims remain before the court, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
