Senator Natasha Barred From Travelling As Immigration Seizes Passport
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP/Kogi Central) has accused Nigerian immigration officers of seizing her passport at an airport, preventing her from travelling abroad.
Over the weekend, Akpoti-Uduaghan marked her second anniversary in the Senate by commissioning projects in Kogi Central.
She went live on Instagram at the airport, questioning officials over the alleged confiscation.
In the video obtained on Tuesday, the senator claimed Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered her passport to be withheld.
She described the action as an unlawful restriction of her movement and a violation of her fundamental rights.
“Hello, fellow Nigerians. I’m Senator Natasha. Having completed my second year in office, I decided to take a week off. I’m at the airport here, and my passport has been withheld again,” she said.
She added that a similar incident had occurred before, despite her having committed no offence or being subject to any court order. The officer allegedly told her the Senate President had instructed them to prevent her travel.
“This same thing happened before when I was stopped from travelling even though I had committed no offence, and there was no court order restricting me.
“The officer in charge told me that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling because he claimed that each time I go abroad, I ‘spoil the image of the country’ by granting interviews to international media.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan has yet to receive an official explanation from the immigration service regarding the seizure.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
