Immigration releases Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s passport after public outcry

Immigration releases Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s passport after public outcry

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has returned the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following a controversial incident at an airport that sparked widespread public attention.

The senator, representing Kogi Central, took to social media on Tuesday to decry the seizure of her passport, alleging that the directive came from Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In a series of impassioned posts, Akpoti-Uduaghan questioned the legality of the action, stating that she had committed no offence and had consistently honored her court appearances.

“You have no right to deny me exit and entrance into my country,” she said. “I am not a flight risk. I am not a risk to my country. So why are you treating me like a criminal?”

Akpoti-Uduaghan further claimed that President Bola Tinubu had previously instructed the Attorney General of the Federation to withdraw two federal cases against her, describing them as politically motivated. She expressed frustration that despite this, her passport was still being withheld.

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“This president… agreed that they were politically witch-hunting cases,” she said. “So there is no reason why my passport should be withheld at the international airport.”

The senator also alleged that Akpabio had instructed the Comptroller General of Customs to prevent her from traveling, a move she described as an abuse of power.

Following intense public reaction and media coverage, the NIS released her passport. Akpoti-Uduaghan questioned the timing of the decision, asking, “If I had not gone public, would you have given me my passport?”

The incident has reignited debates around the rights of citizens, the separation of powers, and the politicization of law enforcement agencies. As of press time, neither the Senate President nor the NIS has issued an official statement addressing the senator’s allegations.

Immigration releases Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s passport after public outcry