Immigration detains Senator Natasha at Abuja airport

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central was briefly detained on Thursday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while attempting to travel to the United Kingdom.

She was stopped by immigration officials at the departure terminal where she was scheduled to board a British Airways flight with her husband to attend her stepson’s graduation.

According to sources familiar with the situation, immigration officers informed her that her name appeared on a watch list. The directive was reportedly linked to the leadership of the National Assembly. After spending close to an hour making calls to government and immigration contacts, the senator was eventually cleared and allowed to continue her journey.

This incident comes amid a series of developments involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership. In early 2025, she was suspended from the Senate over alleged breach of parliamentary decorum. The suspension was tied to remarks she made during a session that were deemed unparliamentary by the Senate.

Shortly after her suspension, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made public allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of office against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. These claims were formally denied by Akpabio, who described the accusations as false.

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Following the public exchange, the Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, filed criminal defamation charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan. The suit, filed at a Federal High Court in Abuja, cited her allegations as defamatory statements against a public official. The matter is still pending before the court.

The stop at the airport on July 24 is the latest in a sequence of events involving the senator and federal authorities since the beginning of her dispute with the Senate leadership.

No formal statement has yet been issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service regarding the basis of the watch list or the specific grounds for Thursday’s intervention. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has also not made an official public statement on the incident as of the time of this report.

The Senate President’s office has not responded to enquiries on whether there was a request made for the senator to be placed on a watch list.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a first-time senator elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), previously contested for the Kogi governorship seat. She assumed office in 2023 following a legal challenge that overturned the initial election results in her district.

Her time in the Senate has included advocacy on issues related to corruption and institutional accountability. She has also sponsored motions and bills concerning federal infrastructure and rural development.

Sentiel News