There was mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday when officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) briefly seized and later released the international passport of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Senator) who was travelling out of the country for what she described as “a one-week break.”
The incident, which quickly escalated, saw the Kogi Central senator go live on social media to broadcast her encounter with immigration officers, accusing them of acting without legal authority and at the behest of political interests.
In the viral video, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Godswill Akpabio, Senate President was behind the seizure of her passport, claiming it was part of a wider attempt to intimidate her amid her ongoing legal battle.
“The officers have no warrant, no justification whatsoever to seize my passport. This is clearly politically motivated. I have never jumped bail or missed any court appearance”, she said.
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The senator’s public outburst and the ensuing online attention reportedly pressured the immigration officers to release her passport shortly afterward.
When contacted, an official of the Nigeria Immigration Service confirmed to BusinessDay that the incident was a “routine check,” insisting that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s travel document was “promptly returned to her after verification.”
