NIS Denies Seizing Senator Natasha’s Passport Amid Airport Showdown

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has responded to claims by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that her international passport was seized at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, describing the incident as part of a “routine clearance procedure.”....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The senator had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of instructing immigration officers to confiscate her passport, allegedly preventing her from travelling abroad.

In a video that went viral on Tuesday morning, Akpoti-Uduaghan was seen confronting immigration officials at the airport, questioning them over the alleged seizure.

“Having completed my second year in office, I decided to take a week off. I’m at the airport, and my passport is being withheld again. I have committed no offence, and there is no court order restricting my travel,” she said.

She further claimed that she was informed her passport was withheld because she had “smeared the country’s image” during previous international engagements. The encounter, streamed live on her Facebook page, showed the senator demanding the return of her passport. Shortly afterward, an officer approached her and returned the document, ending the standoff.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described the incident as part of ongoing harassment and vowed to take legal action against what she called “politically motivated intimidation.”

However, a senior NIS official, speaking anonymously, insisted that the lawmaker was not detained, contrary to reports circulating on social media. “What occurred at the airport was routine. She was not detained; her passport may have been temporarily taken for standard clearance procedures,” the officer said.

The Service’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACI) Akinsola Akinlabi, added that he was away from Abuja at the time but would verify the details. “I am currently out of Abuja, but I will confirm what transpired,” he told Vanguard.

This incident comes just days after the senator celebrated her second year in office at events attended by top lawmakers, including Senate President Akpabio. It also follows a similar episode months ago when she alleged that airport authorities tried to prevent her from travelling.

While the NIS maintains that the episode was routine, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan insists the repeated incidents constitute targeted harassment and an abuse of power. As of now, the Service has not issued a formal statement addressing her allegations.