Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has publicly accused immigration authorities of confiscating her passport at an airport, effectively blocking her from leaving the country for a planned trip abroad.
The incident occurred shortly after the senator marked her two-year milestone in the Nigerian Senate with a series of project inaugurations in her Kogi Central constituency over the weekend. Seeking a brief respite, she attempted to travel but was halted at the airport.
Akpoti-Uduaghan broadcasted the confrontation live on Instagram, where she directly challenged the immigration officials about the seizure. A video of the encounter, which surfaced on Tuesday, shows her pointing fingers at Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that he personally directed the officials to impound her passport.
She condemned the move as an blatant infringement on her right to free movement and a serious breach of her constitutional rights, emphasizing that no legal justification, such as a court order, existed for the restriction.
“Greetings to all Nigerians. This is Senator Natasha speaking,” she said in the footage. “After wrapping up my second year in the Senate, I planned a short break. But here at the airport, my passport has been taken once more.
This isn’t the first time—I’ve been barred from traveling previously without any wrongdoing on my part or any judicial restriction. The head officer informed me that Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered this, saying I damage Nigeria’s reputation by speaking to international press whenever I travel overseas.”
The senator’s claims highlight potential tensions within Nigeria’s political leadership and raise questions about the misuse of authority to curb dissent or personal freedoms. Further details on the matter are awaited as the story develops.
