Kogi lawmaker says her passport was seized at the airport without court order; officials later returned the document after livestream confrontation…
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) of preventing her from traveling abroad and unlawfully withholding her passport at the airport on Tuesday morning.
The lawmaker, who went live on Facebook during the incident, expressed outrage as she confronted the officials, questioning why she was being stopped without any legal order.
“Have I committed any offence? Why are you withholding my passport?” she asked during the livestream, which has since attracted widespread attention online.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said the confrontation occurred shortly after she marked her second anniversary in the Senate, adding that her travel plans were part of a short break following the celebrations.
“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.
Allegations Against Akpabio
The senator also claimed that this was not the first time her movement had been restricted, alleging that on a previous occasion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio instructed immigration officers to stop her from traveling.
“The last time this happened, the officer said Senator Akpabio instructed them to prevent me from travelling, claiming that I damage the country’s image during international interviews,” she alleged.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further claimed that President Bola Tinubu had directed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, to withdraw all cases instituted against her, describing them as “politically motivated.”
“The President admitted that those cases were witch-hunting. So, there is no reason why my passport should be withheld,” she said.
As of press time, neither Senate President Godswill Akpabio nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had issued a statement responding to the allegations.
‘No Right to Withhold My Passport’
Visibly frustrated, Akpoti-Uduaghan declared that she would seek legal redress against what she described as repeated harassment.
“You have no right to withhold my passport or deny me exit from my country. I have committed no offence. You can’t keep doing this every time,” she said.
The senator insisted there was no court order restricting her movement, adding that she had attended all her court sessions related to ongoing cases.
Moments later, one of the officers was seen returning her passport during the live broadcast.
“Thank you very much. Sometimes you just have to be a rebel to get things right. If I hadn’t gone public, would you have given me my passport?” she asked, as officials in the background could be heard apologizing.
Legal Battles and Senate Suspension
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been entangled in multiple legal and political disputes in recent months.
In October, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation dismissed her claims that the charges against her amounted to an abuse of court process, insisting they were based on “comprehensive investigations.”
She currently faces separate cases of alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime before the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court, Abuja, respectively. Justice Mohammed Umar has adjourned the cybercrime trial to November 24.
The Kogi senator only recently returned to the Senate in September, after serving a six-month suspension over alleged misconduct following a dispute with Akpabio. Her sealed office was reopened on September 23, allowing her to resume legislative duties.
Background
The confrontation comes just days after Akpoti-Uduaghan commissioned several constituency projects across Kogi Central to mark her two years in the Senate.
Her latest claims add a new twist to her ongoing feud with the Senate leadership and deepen concerns about alleged political intimidation against opposition lawmakers.
About the Author
