Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Nigerian Immigration Service officials of preventing her from leaving the country, alleging that her passport was unlawfully withheld at the airport.
In a live Facebook broadcast on Tuesday morning, the lawmaker expressed outrage over what she described as “harassment without legal grounds.” During the livestream, Akpoti-Uduaghan was heard demanding explanations from airport officials, “Have I committed any offence? Why are you withholding my passport?”
The senator explained that the incident occurred shortly after celebrating her second year in office, noting that she had planned to take a brief vacation. “Having completed my second-year celebration, I decided to take a week off. I’m at the airport, and my passport has been withheld again,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan recalled that a similar incident had happened in the past, alleging that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had previously instructed immigration officers to stop her from travelling. According to her, an officer once claimed, “Senator Akpabio instructed them to prevent me from travelling. He said each time I travel, I smear the country’s image through international interviews.”
She insisted that such actions were politically motivated, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had already directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to withdraw all politically inspired cases against her. “This president actually spoke with Godswill Akpabio to terminate all the cases against me because he admitted, he agreed that they were politically witch-hunting cases. So there is no reason why my passport should be withheld at the international airport,” she said.
As of the time of this report, neither Senate President Godswill Akpabio nor the Nigerian Immigration Service had issued any response to the senator’s allegations.
“No Right to Withhold Passport”
Visibly angered during the livestream, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan declared her intention to take legal action against the officers involved. “You have no right to withhold my passport or deny me exit from my country. I have committed no offence, and this must stop. I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me. You can’t keep doing this every time,” she stated.
The senator questioned the justification behind the repeated seizures of her passport, arguing that she has always complied with legal procedures and attended all her court hearings. “You have no right. You are taking the law into your hands. There is no court order. I have not missed any of my court appearances. 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?” she lamented.
After several minutes of confrontation, one of the immigration officers eventually returned her passport. “Can I have my passport, please? Thank you very much. Sometimes you just have to be a rebel to get things right. If I had not gone public, would you have given me my passport?” she asked, as the officers in the background apologised and tried to calm her down.
Her outburst comes amid ongoing legal and political battles involving her and several top government officials. In October, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation dismissed her claims that the charges against her were an abuse of court process, maintaining that they were based on “comprehensive and conclusive investigations.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently facing two separate trials—one for alleged criminal defamation and another for cybercrime—before the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court, Abuja. Justice Mohammed Umar has adjourned her cybercrime case to November 24.
The senator, who was suspended from the Senate for six months over alleged misconduct, recently resumed legislative duties after her office, which had been sealed, was reopened on September 23.
What You Should Know
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a prominent Nigerian lawmaker known for her activism and outspoken nature, has been embroiled in several legal and political controversies since taking office.
Her recent confrontation with immigration officers marks another chapter in her ongoing struggle with the political establishment. Previously suspended from the Senate for alleged misconduct, she has also faced multiple court cases, including charges of defamation and cybercrime.
Despite these challenges, Akpoti-Uduaghan continues to position herself as a vocal advocate for justice and transparency, often clashing with top government officials over what she describes as politically motivated persecution.
