Natasha alleges fresh airport harassment, says immigration blocked her from travelling again
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused immigration officials of preventing her from travelling abroad after allegedly withholding her passport at the airport.
The senator made the claim in a live Facebook broadcast on Tuesday morning, questioning the officials’ actions.
“Have I committed any offence? Why are you withholding my passport?” she demanded during the livestream.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the incident occurred shortly after she marked her second year in office. “Having completed my second-year celebration, I decided to take a week off. I’m at the airport, and my passport has been withheld again,” she said.
She recalled that a similar incident happened previously, allegedly on the instruction of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. “The last time this happened, the officer said Senator Akpabio instructed them to prevent me from travelling because I ‘smear the country’s image’ during international interviews,” she claimed.
The lawmaker maintained that there was no valid order restricting her movement, noting that President Bola Tinubu had directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to withdraw all politically motivated cases against her.
“There is no reason why my passport should be withheld at the international airport. There is no reason why,” she insisted.
At press time, neither the Nigerian Immigration Service nor Senate President Akpabio had responded to her allegations.
‘You Have No Right To Withhold My Passport’
Visibly angry, the senator threatened legal action against the officials. “You have no right to withhold my passport or deny me exit from my country. I have committed no offence, and this must stop. I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me,” she said.
She argued that she had attended all court proceedings related to her ongoing cases and was not a flight risk. “There is no court order. I have not missed any of my court appearances. So why are you treating me like a criminal?” she asked.
Read also:Senator Natasha invites Akpabio to project commissioning in Kogi
Moments later, one of the officers returned her passport after the heated exchange. “Can I have my passport, please? Thank you very much. Sometimes you just have to be a rebel to get things right,” she said as the officials apologised in the background.
Ongoing Legal Battles
The confrontation comes amid continuing legal and political battles involving the Kogi senator.
In October, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation rejected her claim that the charges against her amounted to an abuse of court process, insisting they stemmed from “comprehensive and conclusive investigations.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan currently faces separate charges of alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime before two Abuja courts. Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court has adjourned her cybercrime trial to November 24.
The senator recently returned to plenary after a six-month suspension for alleged misconduct, a move that sparked public criticism. Her office, previously sealed, was reopened on September 23, marking her full reinstatement to the Senate.
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