In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s political and media circles, prominent journalist and activist Francess Olisa-Ogbonnaya has accused social media personality Sandra Duru, popularly known as “Prof Mgbeke,” of orchestrating a N30 million smear campaign to tarnish the image of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking during a no-holds-barred interview on Adeola Fayehun’s YouTube show, Olisa-Ogbonnaya alleged that Duru paid her a total of N400,000 in a bid to manipulate public opinion using doctored audio files and a falsified script aimed at discrediting the senator.
“On Easter Saturday, she gave me N100,000 as a gift. By Easter Monday, she sent me N300,000 along with a script and two audio files,” Olisa-Ogbonnaya said. “She wanted me to voice over the material in my studio and create a misleading narrative suggesting the senator was involved in statements she never made.”
According to Olisa-Ogbonnaya, the audio recordings presented by Duru contained no evidence to back the explosive claims, which included fabricated allegations of sexual harassment and anti-Yoruba rhetoric. “She insisted the audio proved her point, but it was empty. There was nothing to support those dangerous lies,” she said.
Describing Duru as a “serial blackmailer,” Olisa-Ogbonnaya accused her of a long-running pattern of extortion and defamation, claiming she has previously targeted political figures such as Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma and attempted to involve activists including Deji Adeyanju and Omoyele Sowore in her campaigns.
“She even mentioned that she was being sponsored by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and played an audio clip to back that claim. But I know how the video was made and I have my own version with timestamps. I challenge her to release the recordings,” Olisa-Ogbonnaya stated.
She further alleged that Sandra Duru had plans to engage controversial social media influencer Verydarkman (VDM) with a budget of N30 million for the online character assassination of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Olisa-Ogbonnaya, known for her advocacy and fearless journalism, said she came forward out of a deep sense of civic duty. “This goes beyond politics. This is an assault on truth, on journalism, and on the integrity of our democracy. Staying silent would mean being complicit.”
She also described Duru’s wild accusations against FIDA (International Federation of Women Lawyers) and former Education Minister Dr. Oby Ezekwesili as baseless, stating that the audio provided had no such content.
“I am prepared to testify before any official panel. I will not be intimidated. I’m ready to release my evidence to the public if need be,” she vowed.
The revelations have reignited national conversations about media manipulation, cyber propaganda, and the use of social media for political blackmail—an issue that experts say undermines the country’s democratic process and public trust.
As the fallout continues, many Nigerians are demanding an official investigation into the matter.