On Thursday morning, July 24, 2025, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's international passport was briefly seized by officers from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). This led to a tense standoff that unfolded at the airport. The event, which took place just before she was scheduled to board a British Airways flight to London, caused a commotion among passengers and prompted her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was traveling with her, to express his immediate concern.
It has been claimed that immigration authorities have identified Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, as a "national security risk." This designation, sources close to the senator claimed, was reportedly at the request of the leadership of the National Assembly, who had placed her name on a watch list. They were on their way to the United Kingdom to attend the graduation ceremony of her stepson when immigration agents stopped her at the departure terminal. The senator and her husband were en route to the United Kingdom.
A scene of cool resistance from the senator was reported by witnesses who were present at the airport, despite the unexpected trauma that had occurred. On the other hand, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was overheard resolutely proclaiming her rights, saying, "The court never authorized this." You have no authority to keep my passport in quarantine. She is said to have maintained her composure throughout the entire encounter, insisting that the officers did not have the legal authority to seize her passport without first obtaining a court order.
During that period, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was not supplied with a formal reason for the seizure, which led to allegations of political meddling. A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed bewilderment, highlighting that there was no court order restricting her movement and that she had consistently appeared for all her court proceedings. The absence of a specific cause further encouraged suspicion regarding the intentions behind the short arrest.
As the delay prolonged, Chief Uduaghan was spotted making a series of frantic phone calls, apparently to handle the emerging crisis. The incident caused a momentary travel scare and drew the attention of other travelers, some of whom described it as an "unnecessary embarrassment" and a potential "abuse of institutional power".
Remarkably, after a stressful few minutes, the senator's passport was restored to her without any official explanation. This rapid turnaround enabled her to go through immigration and catch her aircraft just in time. Despite the rapid conclusion, the episode has raised doubts about the due process and the authority used by immigration officials, particularly affecting prominent personalities.
As of the time of publishing, neither the Nigeria Immigration Service nor the office of the Senate President has released an official comment about the event. The absence of an official response from the participating parties leaves many concerns unanswered, notably about the reason for putting a sitting senator on a watch list and the unexpected restoration of her passport without explanation. The case illustrates persistent worries about the possibility of arbitrary acts by state agents and the need for more openness and respect for legal norms in such instances.
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