Airport Drama: Senator Natasha Accuses Senate President Akpabio of Orchestrating Passport Seizure

There was mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, when the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was reportedly seized by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Kogi Central Senator, who described the incident as politically motivated, accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of being behind the action.

In a video that surfaced online shortly after the incident, Senator Natasha alleged that Akpabio had repeatedly instructed the Comptroller-General of Immigration to withhold her passport whenever she planned to travel out of the country.

“This is not the first time this is happening. Anytime I’m scheduled to travel, they detain my passport on the order of the Senate President,” she said. “He claims I go abroad to smear Nigeria’s image. This is pure harassment.”

The lawmaker said her passport was later released to her after a series of explanations and consultations by the immigration officers on duty.

She added that she has been consistent in attending her ongoing court cases and that there is no court order preventing her from leaving the country.

“I have no legal restrictions. I’ve been attending all my court hearings. There’s no justification for stopping me from traveling,” she stated.

The incident has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians on social media, with many calling for an independent investigation into the senator’s allegations.

As of press time, neither the Senate President’s office nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had issued any official statement on the matter.

Political observers say the development highlights the growing tension within the National Assembly and the need to protect lawmakers from perceived political intimidation.