There was mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, November 4, after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her passport was seized on the orders of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a viral live video streamed on her social media page, the Kogi Central lawmaker could be seen questioning immigration officers after she was reportedly prevented from boarding her flight.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that the Comptroller General of Immigration acted on instructions from the Senate President to confiscate her passport without any formal explanation.
“Why can’t I travel in and out of my country when I wish?” she asked in frustration during the live broadcast.
According to her, the incident occurred moments before she was due to board her flight. The senator described the action as a clear violation of her fundamental right to freedom of movement.
While she was still streaming live, the female immigration officer who initially withheld her passport eventually returned the document to her.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) nor the Office of the Senate President had issued any official statement on the matter.
It would be recalled that during Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate earlier this year, her passport was also temporarily confiscated under similar circumstances, an act she equally claimed was orchestrated by Akpabio.
Background: Natasha vs. Akpabio Feud
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has had a strained relationship with Senate President Godswill Akpabio since the start of the 10th National Assembly.
Earlier in the year, she was suspended from legislative duties for alleged misconduct and “disruptive behaviour,” a decision she described as politically motivated. The suspension was lifted after six months, following public outcry and intervention from senior lawmakers.
The latest airport incident appears to have reignited tensions between both senators, drawing fresh attention to their ongoing political rift.
