Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was briefly stopped at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday when immigration officials seized her passport, citing vague “security orders.” The senator was traveling to the UK for her stepson’s graduation when she was told she had been flagged as a “flight risk.”
No court order was presented to justify the action, prompting the senator to challenge its legality. Her passport was returned shortly afterward, allowing her to board her flight.
The incident comes amid ongoing political tensions. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently challenging her six-month suspension from the Senate and facing defamation charges. She believes the airport incident may have been politically motivated.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has yet to comment. The brief detention has sparked concerns over the use of security agencies to intimidate political figures and bypass legal due process.
