In a dramatic confrontation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of ordering immigration officials to seize her international passport a move she described as politically motivated harassment and a violation of her fundamental rights. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) released the document shortly after her live social media protest sparked widespread outrage online.
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The lawmaker, who had just marked her second anniversary in the Senate over the weekend by commissioning constituency projects, was preparing to board a flight abroad for a brief break when officers stopped her on Tuesday morning. Without offering any official explanation or presenting a court order, they withheld her passport, prompting Akpoti-Uduaghan to go live on Facebook to demand its release.
In an emotional three-minute broadcast that quickly went viral, the senator expressed frustration after waiting at the counter for over 20 minutes. “Hello, fellow Nigerians. I’m Senator Natasha. Having completed my second year in office, I decided to take a week off. I’m at the airport here, and my passport has been withheld again,” she began. She recounted a recurring pattern of interference, referencing a similar incident previously resolved only after intervention from a senior official.
“I have committed no offence and there is no order from any court to withhold my passport or deny me the right to travel,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said, her voice rising. “The last time this happened, the officer in charge told us that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling because he said that each time I travel out of the country, I spoil the country’s image by granting interviews to international media.”
She pleaded directly with the officers: “Please, can you tell them to release my passport and stop this embarrassment? You have no right to withhold my passport or deny me exit and entry into my country. I have not committed any offence, and this must stop… As a matter of fact, I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me.”
The senator further alleged that Akpabio had instructed the Comptroller General of Immigration—though she mistakenly referred to Customs in the heat of the moment—to block her from travelling. She also mentioned two pending federal cases against her, which she said President Bola Tinubu had ordered Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to withdraw after acknowledging that they were “politically motivated.”
“This president, Bola Tinubu, actually spoke with Godswill Akpabio to terminate all the cases against me because he admitted they were politically witch-hunting cases,” she claimed. “So there is no reason why my passport should be withheld. I have attended all my court sessions. I am not a flight risk. I am not a risk to my country. So why are you treating me like a criminal? Can I have my passport, please?”
The Nigerian Immigration Service swiftly reacted to the uproar, describing the brief hold as a routine security check rather than a politically motivated seizure. “It was a normal vetting procedure,” an NIS spokesperson told reporters, emphasizing that there was no malice involved and that the senator’s passport was released promptly after verification.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, dismissed the explanation, insisting that the episode was an abuse of power orchestrated by the Senate leadership.
Neither Akpabio’s office nor the Senate has commented on the allegations as of press time, but the incident has ignited intense debate on social media. Supporters of the senator, including civil rights advocates, have praised her for calling out what they describe as institutional overreach, while critics question the timing and credibility of her claims amid deepening political rivalries.
The confrontation marks the latest flashpoint in the ongoing feud between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio. Their conflict dates back to February 2025, when a dispute over Senate seat reallocation led to her six-month suspension, effective March 6. Although she resumed duties on September 24, 2025, tensions remain high, with the senator frequently raising issues of gender equity and legislative independence.
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