CITIZENS COMPASS– Immigration officials on Thursday, briefly seized the international passport of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
She was reportedly stopped while in the airport to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
The immigration officials were said to have cited “security orders,” for their action.
Natasha was scheduled to board a British Airways flight to London when the officials flagged her at the immigration checkpoint, describing her as a “national security risk.”
According to Eyewitnesses’ accounts, Senator Natasha, who was accompanied by her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, remained calm but firmly questioned the legality of the move. “The court never authorised this. You have no right to hold my passport,” she reportedly told the officials.
Sources said the order came from the Controller General of Immigration, allegedly on the instructions of the Senate President. No formal explanation was given at the time.
After a brief standoff and a series of urgent phone calls by her husband, her passport was returned without explanation, and she was allowed to board her flight.
The development has sparked concerns about the use of security agencies for political reasons. As of now, neither the Immigration Service nor the office of the Senate President has commented on the matter.
